My Whole Heart
by I. heart. Fnick. N. Figgy
Summary: Bella had no choice as to what she would be when she grew up. She was not like other girls. She was to work in the family's pizzeria forever. And Mike, the boyfriend that had chosen her, was not her preference either. Can one man change Bella's life? BxE
1. Chapter 1

**AN: I decided to start another story because… well… I was inspired. Please review if you like the idea, if you hate it, or if you would like to wait and see more. I honestly don't care. Just review. Please!!!! Chapter title "inspired by" Your Guardian Angel by the Red Jumpsuit Apparatus, which is currently my favorite song.**

**Disclaimer: My first name is not Stephenie, my middle name is not Morgan, and my last name is not Meyer. I think you get the point.**

**One**

**My Whole Heart**

BELLA

My whole life, people have told me that I had all this great potential. I could be anything I wanted, or so they said. I did not; rather I _could_ not believe that this was true. My parents, Renee and Charlie Swan, were the reason for this blatant refusal. I think you'll understand why fairly soon…

"Bella!" Renee called, her tinny voice echoing off the restaurant walls. "Can you take this food to table five, honey? My hands are tied!"

She practically threw the food tray at me as I passed by, nodding, as she was juggling the phone and cash register at once.

"Your food," I said, delivering the heavy plates to their rightful owners, attempting a polite smile.

The tallest of the three guys at the booth whistled, eyeing my mini skirt and beaded, turquoise tank top appreciatively. I made a metal note to wear leggings to work from then on.

"Hey, Bells! Do you mind working the counter for a while?" Charlie asked, zipping around the corner with an air of pure confidence and a spring in his step. I loved to see him happy, really, I did, but when he walked that way, it always meant trouble for me. "Your mom and I are going out for a while."

I rolled my eyes. He and Renee had been "going out for a while" every day for three weeks, and, admittedly, I was overwhelmed. "Dad!" I whined, sounding more and more like a five-year-old every day, instead of the mature college student I was supposed to be.

"Isabella!" he said. "When you take over this restaurant, you're going to have to get over this laziness."

I honestly considered throwing a temper tantrum, but then decided against it, choosing, instead, to try the innocent approach. "You're right Daddy," I cooed. "But… haven't you and Mom ever thought about… you know… hiring someone else?"

He laughed heartily. I should have known he wouldn't take me seriously. "Why would we do that when we've got _you_?" He pinched my cheek. I felt like spitting in his face. And, once again, they left me alone to take orders, wait on all of the tables, _and _clean up after all of them. Fun stuff.

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EDWARD

"I just don't get it, Emmett," I repeated, taking another long, savory bite of pepperoni pizza. "Why would Rosalie dump you for such a stupid reason?"

"Hey!" he snapped defensively, sipping on his chocolate shake. "Don't call my girl stupid!"

"You mean your ex-girl," I corrected. He grimaced.

"Whatever," he muttered under his breath. "I need some more pizza. Waitress!"

"Do you possess any patience whatsoever?" she asked, annoyed, stopping to stand next to her table, a hand on her hip. "What can I do for you?"

I stared immensely at her, trying to catch her eyes. I knew her from somewhere. Maybe… high school. But it didn't seem likely that I would have forgotten such a beautiful face after only two years. No, she was simply the kind of stranger that looked like someone everybody knew. Still, I had to know.

"Where did you go to high school?" I blurted out, realizing that I'd only assumed she had already graduated. I mentally kicked myself for being so ignorant.

She scoffed. "Right. And how about I tell you my home address, cell number, and, while I'm at it, the password on my laptop? I wasn't born yesterday."

Her harsh words felt like a brutal slap in the face. She had mistaken my curiosity for something more. She thought me dangerous. I should have been angry, but instead I pitied her. The protective vibe I held over her from the moment our eyes met began to grow inside of me. I was mentally tormented to find that she had become so accustomed to being hit on and taken for granted.

"Look, if you're not going to order anything else, I've got other customers," she continued.

"I'll be sure to tell your daddy about the poor customer service I received this particular visit," Emmett threatened. She glanced at me, trying to hide the pained look that flashed across her eyes.

I found his leg under the table and kicked it forcefully.

"EDWARD!" he shouted, glaring at me. "What was that for?"

"He'll have a pepperoni pizza," I told her. She gazed at me thankfully. If I wasn't quite sure before that I had known her before, I was then.

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BELLA

It took all of my willpower to refrain from slapping Emmett for that stupid comment. How did he know about Charlie? And even if he could justify the reason for knowing so much about my family life, what gave him the right to hoard it over me like that?

His friend, Edward, saved me. I had no way of knowing why, but somehow I felt safer around him. His beautiful green eyes raked over mine a couple of glorious seconds, and my breath caught in the back of my throat. He was so wonderfully perfect; the kind of guy that "girls like me" could only dream of. His messy hair, the perfect shade of bronze, fell beautifully over his eyes at a delicious angle. And immediately, I was sorry for questioning his motives. But then, with all the experience I'd had with guys, I had to be sure first…

"Sorry about that," he apologized, following me when I went to give the order to the chef. I stopped to look at him. He blushed a little. "Emmett… He can be a jerk sometimes, for sure."

"And you aren't?" I teased.

"Not unless you want me to be…" he said. I giggled.

"No, I am _so _tired of jerks by now. He nodded.

"I'm no jerk. But then, even if I was, I probably wouldn't admit it."

"Somehow I find it difficult to believe that you're that type of guy," I admitted sheepishly.

"That's a good thing, then," he grinned. My heart skipped a beat when he did that. "I didn't mean to come across as… dangerous or anything when I asked about your high school…" he continued.

"No," I shook my head. "I'm sorry about that one. It's just that… Well, when you know guys like I do… You get used to them being… arrogant…"

"Right. I understand," he agreed. "I was simply curious… because I'm sure we've met before."

Suddenly, the door slammed open, the welcoming bells ringing in a cacophony. That could only mean one person.

"Bells!" Mike demanded, stomping angrily through toward Edward and I. I looked up at him apologetically.

"Mike… I…" I stuttered. Edward's greenish eyes were tinged with red now.

"I _thought_ I asked you to meet me half an hour ago," he continued, as if I'd never said anything.

"Well… yes, but you know Charlie, always taking off with Renee… and we don't have any other employees, so I can't just leave whenever I want to," I explained, babbling like a psychopath, no doubt.

"Than you _should _have _called _me, Babe!" he shouted, attracting the attention of almost every table as he grabbed my wrist and forced my forward. Edward winced. "We're leaving. Now. Get your jacket and let's go!"

"Mike, I-I can't leave now!" I rebutted, trying to wrench my arm away from him. Edward was looking murderously at Mike, though I had no idea why.

"Oh _yes _you can!" he threatened. "We're going out with Angela and Eric, _remember_?"

I flinched. "B-but who will work, Mike? Be practical!" I begged him, embarrassed that Edward was still watching.

"Well you'd better find someone then, or I'll-"

"I'll do it," Edward spoke up calmly. "Bella was just about to offer me a job, anyway, weren't you?"

I was a bit confused for only a moment, but then I glanced at Edward understandingly. "Thank you so much," I whispered, as Mike pulled me away from him. edward was contentedly tying the red apron I'd just flung onto the counter around his waste.

"It's no problem," he assured me.

"Oh, and Edward?" I called, Mike's fingers digging deep into my skin. He looked up at the mention of his name. "Forks High School."

**A/N: Like it, hate it, love it, want me to go into exile for the rest of my fanfiction life? Then review and tell me that! I really need some feedback from you guys either way. The reviews determine whether I finish this story or not. So REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW! That is all. **

**C.J.**


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Wow, you guys are the bomb! I didn't get a single negative comment (although I also accept criticism in a constructive form). I totally love you guys. Chapter title borrowed from "If I Never Knew You".**

**Two**

**How Precious Life Can Be**

BELLA

Mike was a horrible, terrible, defiant, abusive creep, and I knew it. I desperately needed to break up with him, but how could I do that? I had tried, on many occasions, to simply tell him we were over, that I didn't want him in my life anymore, but he had shrugged it off as if I'd never said anything.

One thing did change ever time I tried to leave him, though: His grip grew tighter. I mean this in a physical _and _possessive state. Whenever he picked me up for a date, he held on to me a little tighter. And every time I talked to other guys, he was there, hoarding over me like a vulture. This especially applied to guys.

For this reason, I was extremely surprised that Mike even allowed him to look at me. And by "him", I mean Edward, of course.

He had become my lifeline over the next week or so. I had, miraculously, convinced Renee and Charlie to hire him for their benefit as well as mine. I'm not going to lie, watching Edward wait on people and clean tables was enough to make me go mad. He was so graceful, so charming, and, above all else, so beautiful. I was none of these things. His presence, believe it or not, significantly raised our profits.

"Bella!" Edward called, waltzing through the front door, his smock already neat and tied into place. I turned around; tripping over the leg of the table I was cleaning. He was by my side within seconds, catching me before I hit the ground. "Do you do this kind of stuff to torment me?" he whispered, his lips dangerously close to my ear.

I groaned as we both stood back up. "Yeah, Edward. I trip over things and make myself look like an idiot solely to attract your attention. Thank _goodness _you noticed."

He grinned, the sideways smile that made me weak at the knees. I caught myself this time, reaching out for the table for support.

"Are you okay?" he wondered.

"Yeah. Just a little… faint," I lied. How does one go about telling a person of the opposite sex that they drive them completely crazy? I had no clue.

"Umm… All right," he said disbelievingly. "I was just going to ask you if you wanted to… erm… _join _me for some coffee… When we get off… you know, to talk about… sales and such."

I laughed lightheartedly. When was the last time I'd done that? "Edward… It's not that I don't want to at all…" I paused. That was far from the truth. The urge to ask him out had been driving me insane for the past week. "But if Mike were to walk by…" Which he would. He most certainly would find a way to be wherever I was. "He might get the wrong impression…" And think that you actually asked me out on a date! Why couldn't I just say that?

His eyes tinged with read at the mention of Mike's name, as they had a week ago. "Makes sense, I guess," he mumbled, setting off to work again.

EDWARD

I don't… fully understand why she makes herself stay with him. The only reason I can possibly imagine is that he's making her. Physically making her. I didn't know how I felt about that. No, that's not right, I did know. Even wondering if Mike was doing those… despicable things to my Bella made me want to hurl him across the room. (Wait, when had she become "my" Bella?)

"Edward?" a familiar voice from behind called out.

"What is it, Emmett? I'm working," I answered, not even bothering to turn around and look at him. I was willing to bet that he looked like a complete idiot, and laughing now would only make me more depressed about Bella later.

"Would you just look at me?" he demanded. I shook my head, scrubbing the circular table furiously.

"No, Emmett, I will not look at you. Because I am almost positive whatever you have got to show me is going to distract me from doing my job, which is what I'm currently doing," I said calmly.

"You wouldn't even have this job if I hadn't taken you out here last week," he reminded me. Of course he _had _to go there.

"What is so important that you couldn't wait for me to get off, Emmett?" I asked, turning on my heel to face him. Bella came out from behind the counter, giggling madly.

"Emmett!" she blurted. "What is all over your face?"

Sure enough, purplish, viscous liquid was plastered to his cheeks, chin, nose, and forehead. I erupted in a fit of inevitable laughter, mocking him.

"How did you manage all of that, Em?" I wondered.

"Well… I went to try and talk to Rose at her apartment… and… let's just say I was not welcome. Alice bombarded me and held me down while Rosalie got all this… gunk from her _kitchen _and rubbed it all over my face," he explained, looking deathly serious. I laughed again.

"Come on, Emmett," Bella offered. "Come back into the kitchen. We'll clean you up."

"Mr. and Mrs. Boyardee won't mind?" he asked jokingly.

Bella looked away, and I saw the trace of tears on her face when she looked back up. "No, they are otherwise occupied."

BELLA

Otherwise occupied? Vague, Bella. Very vague. Why couldn't I ever say exactly what I meant? For instance, if I had simply said "No, they aren't here. They're probably having dinner right about now, discussing my future," then Edward would not be staring at me like I had grown a third eye right about then.

"Not trying to question your expertise or anything, Bella," Emmett spoke, dragging me out of my thoughts. "But how exactly are you planning on… erm… de-gooing me?"

I giggled at the play with words. Every girl should have an Emmett to make them laugh when they're feeling absolutely desolate as I was.

"Actually, I have no idea," I admitted, starting on it with a wet dish cloth. "Any offers?"

He shook his head. "Your guess is as good as mine."

"Then this is what we'll do." I scrubbed a bit harder, expecting him to jump, but, of course, he never did. He stood motionless, as if he didn't feel a thing. "Any thoughts?"

He grinned a bit. "Yeah. But you'll probably hate me for asking."

I gulped. This couldn't be good. "Ask away. I promise not to hate you."

His smile grew a bit wider at that. "Well… I was just wondering why you don't like Edward."

I dropped the rag, and, being the klutz that I am, slipped on it, landing unceremoniously on the ground. The kitchen door slammed open a split second later.

"Bella, are you all right?" Edward asked, placing one hand underneath my bruised head, the other maneuvering around my neck, checking for my pulse, no doubt. I tried no nod, but all I could muster was a less-than-reassuring cough.

"I-I'm fine. I do this kind of stuff all the time." It was true.

"Are you sure?" I was touched by the genuine concern on his voice. In a perfect world (one where Mike was not my jealous, extremely possessive boyfriend), I would have kissed him right then and there. However, considering the fact that I did not want to be the one responsible for his murder, I did not.

"No," I smiled. He laughed nervously.

"Could you… maybe… not ever do that to me again?" he requested.

"No promises," I answered, allowing him to help me up carefully.

All of this awkwardness between Edward and I was going to have to stop. I didn't know how, and I didn't know when, but I was going to be friends with him. _Real_ friends.

**A/N: Sorry, guys. I know it's a short one. But I just had to update after all of those wonderful reviews. (Thanks so much for those, by the way). I've just been so busy… I have to sing tomorrow night. Thank you guys for being so patient. You guys are the best!**

**C.J.**


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: Wow. I love you guys so, so, so much. .Cucumber, you rock my world. I love your story. Actually, after I finish writing this chappy, I'm gonna go read your latest update. Haha. Please review this chapter as well. ( : Chapter title from Miss Kellie Pickler. **

**Three**

**Just the Way You Are**

BELLA

The next two weeks passed by awkwardly, as expected. Every time I conjured up enough courage to speak with Edward, we were interrupted by either Emmett or Mike, who was constantly picking me up early now that we had another employee around to take over. I was always apologetic, but Edward was quick to assure me that he did not mind staying late to close up.

I wouldn't have minded staying late, either, if it gave me a couple extra hours to talk to him about something other than pizza and sodas. My spirits were crushed, day after day, when Mike arrived promptly at the restaurant. He made no attempt to hide his frustration with me on most occasions, and I could see that it pained Edward to have to witness our little shows of what Mike considered affection. It pained me, too. Just in a whole different way.

So you can imagine my surprise when I received a very impromptu call from my overzealous boyfriend instead of a visit one day…

"Bells, is that you?" Mike slurred. He had just woken up, I was sure.

"Yeah, Mike, it's me. Where are you?" I had become so accustomed to being picked up at six o' clock on the dot that I was ready for him, jacket on, notebook in hand, waiting for the familiar DING of the door's bells that meant he had come, again.

"I'm at home. I'm really sorry, Baby, but I've gotta go out of town for a few days," he muttered apologetically.

I wanted to shout something along the lines of "YES!" or "Don't come back, either!" but instead I said, "Oh. All right. I'll miss you." What a blatant, terrible lie to tell.

"Miss you, too, Bells. I love you," he said, wheezing a bit.

I said nothing.

"BELLA!" he shouted, causing me to rip the phone away from my ear. "I _said _'I love you'!"

"Love you too," I winced. I could hear him smiling through the receiver.

"See you."

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"What's the matter with you, today, Bella?" Edward asked, reaching behind my back to clean the other side of the counter. I froze. He smelled so sweet, like cologne and fabric softener…. Mmmmmmmmmm, what a combination.

"N-nothing," I embarrassed myself further. Why did he have to smell so delicious? And look so inviting? And talk so sweetly? And… Get a grip, Bella!

"It doesn't seem like nothing," he said worriedly, turning to me. My breathing hitched. "Is something bothering you?"

I nodded, cursing myself for falling for yet another charmer. "I-I mean nothing's _bothering _me, per say… I think it's a good thing…"

"Oh?" He cocked an eyebrow, and my knees buckled. I held the counter to steady myself. How could one person possibly have this kind of effect on me, especially after I'd known so many guys before him?

"Umm… yeah. It's just… Mike's going out of town… so you can leave early… if… if you want… It's my turn to close by myself…" Of course I was hoping he'd say that he had nothing else to do, that he'd rather stay here with me, but I didn't want to seem clingy.

"Actually… I was planning on staying late tonight, anyway…" Only because he stayed late every other night, no doubt. "I cancelled plans with Emmett… and if I don't work late he'll actually make me go with him… to a public place… so if it's all right with you…"

I laughed, relieved. "Yeah, we can both close. Wouldn't want you to die of embarrassment or anything…" I finished quickly, before he had a moment to change his mind.

"Cool." He grinned. I felt sure I'd never get tired of seeing him happy like that.

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Yes, I acted a bit eager when Bella told me that that cretin was leaving town, but I simply could not help myself. I told myself it was for her. She was only on break for Christmas in Forks for two months. I wanted her to enjoy it.

That was only partly true. Deep, deep inside I knew the reason I was so excited had nothing to do with her, and everything to do with the time we would be spending alone together. Sure, I felt selfish. I hated myself for caring more about that than I did about her happiness.

But it was inevitable. Not thinking about being with Bella was just too difficult for me to handle. Besides, thinking about the fact that she was only here on break, not to mention the fact that she only had about five weeks left, depressed me greatly. I preferred not to think about it.

That meant I only had a month and a week to get Mike and Bella separated. I could live if Bella and I never got a shot, but I would not be able to handle it if I knew that Mike was still abusing her. No, I had to do something about that.

"It's about that time," I reminded Bella for the fifth consecutive time in about three minutes.

She was not annoyed, apparently, because she shrugged it off with a laugh, again. "I know, I know, Edward. You keep telling me. Why are you so excited about it?"

"Closing time is my favorite time of the day," I lied defensively. "It's so… quiet in her… without all of the customers' conversations buzzing."

"Yeah, I guess you're right," she agreed, dragging a wash towel across Table Number Seven. "And I'm just so tired after work because Mike…" She stopped abruptly, blushing profusely.

"Mike what?" I prodded, trying to sound as nonchalant as humanly possible.

"He… you know…" she stuttered, looking, I must admit, adorably flustered. A single damp, brown curl stuck to her face, and she pushed it away, averting her eyes.

"Bella," I said, changing my tone so it came across a bit more serious. "Why… I don't understand why you put yourself through this... You don't deserve it…"

"Yes, well… that is a conversation I do not want to get into," she babbled, tossing the towel into the bucket of suds she was dipping into.

"But... you have told your parents?" I continued.

"My parents wouldn't care if I did tell them…" she admitted, a single tear cascading down her ruddy cheeks. She wiped it away quickly, and no more tears fell. She was holding back so much.

"Bella…" I repeated.

"Look, if this is about you feeling sorry for me because I'm trapped in a relationship with an unappreciative, violent boyfriend, then save it. I don't need sympathy. I… I can take care of myself." And as she said it, I knew that even she could tell she was lying.

"But you wouldn't have to take care of yourself if you'd just leave him," I protested, inching closer to her. "Can you honestly look into my eyes and tell me that you love him? Or that you even like him anymore?"

She looked away once more. "No," she said to the floor. "I can't. But I don't expect you to understand that there's just no escaping this for me. Believe me, I've tried."

"What are you talking about?" I asked, standing directly beside her now. "What do you mean you've tried?"

"Exactly that!" she shouted, facing me. "I've tried. But every time his grip gets stronger. He'll always come back for me. I can't get away from him, Edward! I just… can't! and Renee and Charlie love him. They trust him over me! Don't you see that there's no way I can leave Mike? Not when he's so physically… capable…"

"I still don't see it, Bella," I admitted.

"Like I said," she continued coldly, "I wouldn't expect you to." And she took off running into the kitchen, slamming the door behind her, and, I knew, resolving to tears the moment she was safe behind closed doors. I wanted to hold her, to comfort her. I wanted to kiss her and tell her everything was going to be fine. But I couldn't.

Not yet, anyway.

**A/N: Yay! This chapter is finally finished! It took ForEVER! So I really, really hope you guys enjoy it. Please, please review. It makes it so much easier to update quickly if everyone leaves a nice leetle review. Love you guys,**

**C.J.**


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: Wow. You guys are my favorite story audience. If any of you have stories, I'll advertise them for you, like .Cucumber does in her story, on one condition: If you leave a review asking me to advertise it, you also have to review my story. And please, not too many. It's first come, first serve.**

**Four**

**Ice Cream or Coffee**

BELLA

I was in pain in a number of different ways. I was hurting physically because the multiple bruises Mike had left on my arm were starting to turn black and purple, the most gruesome of which was the one he'd left the day Edward had first offered to close for me. Now, despite what you might believe, the emotional pain I was enduring was a thousand times worse.

In my mind I saw Edward, frustrated with my stupid mood swings, quitting furiously on the day Mike had left. And I did not blame my mental image for hating me, nor for abandoning me. I did not deserve to be with Edward, much less to be his friend.

But he refused to leave me, like I said he should. Not only did he manage to avoid blowing up at me, but that same day, he told me a secret that would make that afternoon one of the best in my life.

"Bella?" he said cautiously, tiptoeing into the kitchen after allowing me ample time to cry in peace.

I quickly made an attempt to clear my face of tear-streaked mascara. "Sorry for taking all that out on you, Edward," I apologized, hating myself for hurting him.

"It's no big deal," he assured me, brushing a strand of hair away from my face. I bit back a gasp.

"But it is a big deal," I argued, after catching my breath, of course. "I was a jerk. You don't deserve to be accused like that. It's my fault." He crossed his legs, sitting down beside me, Indian style, against the door.

"Don't apologize to me, Bella," he whispered soothingly. "You needed to take it out on someone. I just happened to be around."

"But-" I started.

"Shhhh… Listen, I need to tell you something important," he interrupted. I nodded silently.

"Some time or another, everyone's going to have that moment where they just snap due to all of the overbearing pressure they are balancing. You have an unusually high load to bear, Bella," he explained, running the tips of his fingers down my arm lightly. I shivered at the touch. "Actually, I'm quite glad I got to witness this little tantrum," he continued, his voice a bit more teasing. "It was fairly cute."

"Cute, huh?" I asked, giggling childishly. "You're ridiculous, Edward Cullen."

"Well, if it makes you feel better…" He grinned sheepishly. I stared into his topaz eyes, bobbing my head up and down.

"It most definitely does."

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EDWARD

It was comforting to know that Bella was going to be all right or at least that I'd temporarily made her feel better. But I could do nothing to ease the dull aching in my chest that had come as a result of knowing that Mike had won the battle. Bella was still his. And if Emmett and I didn't figure something out, she always would be.

"Closing time!" I exclaimed for no particular reason, clapping my hands together and rubbing them against each other enthusiastically.

"Yay!" Bella yelled, dropping the cash back into its respective slots in the register. "Finally! I can go home and get some studying done."

I rolled my eyes at her. "Bella, Bella, Bella," I said in a tsk-tsk-tsk type voice. "No one studies on Christmas break! It's illogical, unthought-of… Why, it's unethical!" I continued with mock frustration.

"Well I plan on continuing my college education, and to do so, I must make some sacrifices, therefore…"

"Ooohhhh no!" Emmett roared, bounding through the front door, which, to our dismay, still had a sign hanging in the window that read 'Open'.

"Crap," Bella mouthed inaudibly. I smiled, reassuring her with my eyes. Emmett wasn't going to be around for long.

"I did not just hear you say that you were going home to _study_, Isabella Swan!" he protested.

She sighed. "I'm never going to get any work done with you two around, am I?"

"Absolutely not," Emmett agreed. "Edward, take this woman out, and fast!"

"Bella?" I asked, looking to her for permission. She nodded slightly, after much consideration.

"All right, Edward. We can go somewhere. But… coffee or ice cream, okay? Nothing crazy."

I grinned, and it probably wasn't the reaction she wanted. "Why, of course, Bella," I said, feigning innocence. "Why, how could you even imagine anything else?"

"Yeah, whatever," she muttered, grabbing her white, knee-length trench coat from the rack behind the counter. "I _must_ be crazy."

"Don't worry, Bella, you'll like this place," I said, trying to sound comforting, as soon as we were in my Volvo, speeding down the four-lane. She was still gazing uneasily out the window, trying to figure out where we were headed. I doubted she knew.

"If you say so," she mumbled.

We pulled into the parking lot, which was extremely familiar to me, but probably not so much to Bella, about five minutes later.

"Where are we?" Bella demanded, stepping out of the passenger seat as I held the door open for her.

"Less talk, more walk," I ordered, leading the way into the fancy Italian bistro, with glistening chandeliers hanging from the ceiling and a crisp, white tablecloth covering each and every table, matched with a flowery, purple centerpiece.

"Edward," she let out in one, slow breath.

The hostess smiled at us-well, more at me than at Bella, and asked if we preferred a table or a booth. I requested a booth, and she winked at me and said "whatever you like." I laughed at Bella's envious expression on the outside, but inside, I was rejoicing for the tiny feat.

"You shouldn't have done this," she said, once we were comfortably seated in the booth of our choice. "This is too nice. When you said out… I thought you meant more like…"

"Ice cream or coffee?" I offered, using her earlier reference. She smiled halfheartedly.

"Yeah, ice cream or coffee," she whispered, her smile reaching her eyes at last.

Maybe this could turn out good after all.

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BELLA

I could not say for sure how long Edward and I sat and talked that night. It could have been hours, and it could have been a few minutes. We had no reason to keep track of the time we spent, it seemed. We were indulged in conversation, each of us revealing something about our past, present, or hopeful future over and over.

There was an endless amount to tell. And though the conversation was pretty equal, I felt like I was doing all of the talking. It was just that I felt so at ease with Edward, a feeling that I sure as heck didn't share with my boyfriend. So we could finally be considered friends. And, believe me, I was more than willing to move past that awful, awkward stage.

"I can't imagine you doing that, Edward," I admitted, grinning at the thought of him, standing on top of his school, shouting insults at the teachers passing below.

"I told you, Bella. It was a dare." As if that was a reasonable excuse! "I might have been smart in high school, but I was no chicken."

I laughed incredulously. "Unbelievable."

"Well, what about you?" he pressed. "You must've done something embarrassing in high school. I mean, you being so…" He blushed a beautiful crimson color. It was magnificent in contrast to his lovely, pale skin.

"Clumsy?" I offered. He nodded. "Well, you're right. High school was just one huge embarrassment for me. This one time, a janitor was pushing a trash can down the hallway, and I walked straight into him. Long story short, he ended up quitting after I 'so rudely' knocked him over, and I ended up face-first in the garbage can. Good times, good times."

"You really mean that?" he asked, as the waitress cleared away our nearly untouched plates.

"Umm… no!" I almost-shouted. But it didn't matter, because we were the last in the restaurant, I noted. "I wouldn't go back to the awkward, adolescent years of high school if someone paid me to."

"So you think you're better off now?" he asked quietly, looking down at his feet. I considered the question.

"No, I guess I'm not," I agreed. "But I'm lucky to have met a friend like you, Edward."

He grinned yet again. "And I wouldn't trade your friendship for the world. But Bella, there's something I've been meaning to-"

"BELLA!"

Oh, no. that voice could only mean one thing, and as sure as the sun would rise tomorrow morning, I knew that this would not turn out good.

**A/N: Okay, I got a review on the last chapter that was not mean in any way, but I wanted to address in nonetheless. .Cucumber, I wanted you to know that this story is in no way intended to be a knockoff of yours. I know you didn't mean that, but I didn't want anyone else to get that notion either. I've been planning this for a while, so I hope you didn't think that just because Mike is the bad guy, I was trying to steal from you…**

**On an entirely different note: REVIEW! Much love,**

**C.J.**


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: Okay, I'm really excited, because my advertised story for this week is also my favorite story on fanfiction currently: Your Guardian Angel by .Cucumber. It's really amazing, and I encourage you to check it out. **

**Five**

**Don't Hold Your Breath**

BELLA

"BELLA!" Charlie shouted, stomping pointedly until he reached our table. "What do you think you're doing here?" He looked at Edward for a moment, but then his attention was back on me.

"Dad, we already closed up," I explained. "We were just coming out for dinner…"

"You've got exams to study for," he reminded me, annoyed. "And Mike, your _boyfriend_, has been calling you nonstop."

My eyes widened as I glanced at Edward, whose expression basically mirrored mine. "What did you tell him?" I asked frantically.

"I told him the truth, of course," he said, as if it were the obvious answer. "That you and Edward had disappeared from the pizzeria, apparently together. He told to tell you, when I found you, that he'll be waiting at his house."

"Waiting?" Edward asked, more to me than to Charlie.

"Yes, waiting," Charlie answered, tapping his foot impatiently. "As in Bella, you'd better get your butt over there right now, or you're grounded."

I rolled my eyes at him. "You're not legally allowed to ground me, Dad," I said. "I'm nineteen years old. But I wouldn't expect you to know that."

He looked bewildered, completely surprised that his baby girl, who had always been the perfect, obedient angel, would backtalk him that way. Apparently, however, after a few seconds of consideration, he figured out how to handle the situation.

"Isabella. Marie. Swan!" he spat, yanking me up by my elbow. "You get over to that boy's house right now, or all of your college funds will be withdrawn."

Even with the money I was making at the restaurant, I could not afford all of my expenses on my own. Besides, I wouldn't have put it past Charlie to make me work for little or no pay. "It's your duty," he'd say. "You owe it to us."

He shook me violently by the shoulders. "I'm going, Dad!" I surrendered, snatching up my purse and coat.

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EDWARD

It broke my heart straight in half to see the way Charlie treated Bella. He was almost no better than Mike! No wonder he always took his side over his own daughter's. I found myself wondering what had happened to Bella's family. Surely they hadn't always been this way.

"Edward?" Bella said, pulling me out of my own mind, fortunately. It was starting to get crowded in there!

"Yes?"

"Umm… I'm sorry to ask… but I kind of left my truck back at the shop, and…" she started. Why had we suddenly become so formal?

"Sure, Bella. I'll take you back," I offered, smiling stupidly. "But are you sure… you don't want me to just take you to Mike's and then… bring you back?" Please say yes. Please say yes!

"No," she said, shaking her head. Were those tears under her eyes? "I need to do this alone."

"Bella," I whispered, reaching out to touch her face gently. She jumped, and I immediately felt my other hand. It wasn't cold… "You don't have to do everything by yourself. Why do you feel like you always need to be so brave?"

She looked away, away from me, shrugging away from my touch. "Edward, this is my mess. My fault. I'm willing to pick up the pieces. Please don't try and stop me."

"I'm not trying to get you hurt, Bella," I said, a little louder, withdrawing my hand. "All I want is for you to be happy."

"Then don't hold your breath," she warned, closing the car door in my face.

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BELLA

The entire car ride was virtually silent, apart from the radio, which was barely on at all. Edward refused to make eye contact with me, and I didn't blame him. I'd been a jerk. I didn't expect him to understand my situation. In fact, I'm not so sure anyone could understand.

And the worst part of it all was that, finally, Edward had witnessed, front row, the relationship between my father and I. I do not know if Renee would have helped me, because she was always so quiet when Charlie was around. That probably meant that he was just as aggressive with him as he was with me.

I wondered why Renee had not left him yet, then, as we sped down the back roads to the shop. I wished that this unnatural, awkward car ride would last forever, but, as it always does when you're waiting for something terrible, time passed quickly by. Before I knew it, we were in the small, white-chalked parking lot once again. I stepped out of his cat silently, begrudgingly, not expecting a decent goodbye from him. Not that I deserved one, anyway.

"Bella?"

I looked back at him over my shoulder. "What?"

"You don't always have to do everything alone," he whispered. I nodded, tears beginning to flow from my eyes.

"I know, Edward," I said. "Thank you for taking me out tonight. I needed that."

He grinned, that sideways grin that always made me go weak at the knees. "No problem. I had fun."

The chaste salutation was more than I'd expected, and it made the car ride to Mike's a bit more bearable. I even kept a straight face when Mike opened the door, kissed me forcefully, and dragged me into the living room, all for show, of course. As soon as we were out of earshot of the neighbors, Mike went all out.

"Where were you, Bells?" he demanded, pushing my onto the white couch. "I called a thousand times."

"Charlie told me," I said, ignoring his initial question.

"Answer my question, Isabella," he ordered. I glanced down at the shag carpet he was standing on, stained and dreadfully dusty.

"With Edward," I muttered.

"Who?!" he shouted, placing his fingers under my chin to lift my eyes up to his.

"Edward," I repeated, this time audibly. "We were discussing sales, and… stuff…"

"Stuff?" he scoffed, sitting in the arm chair to the left of me. "I don't want you to see him again, Bella," he threatened, his voice menacing. I gulped.

"But… Mike… Charlie and Renee hired him… He works for us now," I explained, praying that he'd understand for once. In all honesty, I could not bear to part with Edward now. Not after all we'd been through.

"THEN I DON'T WANT YOU NEAR HIM OUTSIDE OF WORK!" I jumped back at his tone. "You hear me?"

"Yes," I said quietly.

"What's that, Bella?"

"YES, okay? I won't see him… except for… at Swan's… I'm sorry," I sobbed dryly.

He got up from the recliner and joined me on the couch. "It's all good now. I love you." I was not sure if I could say it again. Not after all he'd done to me. "Bella, I love you!" Apparently, I didn't have a choice.

"I love you, too, Mike," I lied through clenched teeth. He kissed me once again. I tried to imagine kissing Edward, the way I had dreamed of it; his lips soft and inviting. It was physically impossible. Kissing Edward would not be so brutal.

"I'm gonna go home… get some sleep," I said in-between kisses. "See you tomorrow?"

He nodded. "Six o' clock. Be ready for me, Baby."

**A/N: Just so you know, I am starting to hate Mike, too. It's really terrible, but necessary. Trust. Good things come to those who wait. PLEASE, please, please review, and don't forget to read Your Guardian Angel, by .Cucumber. Much love and holiday peace,**

**C.J. **

P.S. Sorry this chapter was so short. It's basically just a filler.


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: Mmmkay, well, we didn't exactly get as many reviews as I would have liked, but that's okay. We'll learn to work with what we've got, eh? Haha. But thank you so much to those of you who did review, and those of you who have been ritually. You rock!**

**Six**

**Of Unwanted Interrupters **

BELLA

I had gotten into the embarrassing routine of thinking about Edward before, during, and after every kiss from Mike. I could not handle it without some kind of distraction. The next day, when he picked me up from the pizzeria, early as ever, I felt like crying, to be perfectly honest.

Edward had become, at the very least, my very best friend and confidant. I felt completely at ease with him; I told him everything. Every departure was like a stab in the chest. The only thing that I had to go on was the assurance that I would see him every morning, bright and early.

"Good morning, Bella, dear," he'd say, entering the shop with more grace than I'd thought possible.

"Edward, how nice of you to finally grace us with your presence," I'd reply, as if he'd ever_ actually_ been late for work.

And then he'd bow deeply, as if receiving a standing ovation for some ominously wonderful feat he'd achieved. We would share a laugh and resume our day, glancing at each other, smiling, quite often.

Quitting time was a different story altogether.

"BELLA!" Mike bellowed, slamming open the door loudly.

"What took you so long?" I muttered sarcastically, noting the fact that it was only five forty-five.

"Traffic," he answered simply. I was surprised he'd actually caught that.

Edward grimaced when Mike's gaze shifted halfheartedly to him. "Ready to go, Babe?" he asked, looking back at me. I shrugged.

"Edward, are you going to be alright by yourself?" I wondered, secretly hoping he'd say no, that he needed me here.

"If I say yes, are you going to go with _him_?" he spat the last word, eyeing Mike disapprovingly.

He took a step forward when Mike looked ready to pounce. I pressed an innocent hand against his chest, restraining him. Apparently, my hand lingered for a moment too long.

Mike grabbed my arm roughly, yanking me forward with a jolt. "Come on, Babe. We're leaving."

"But Mike, I-" I started. He shook his head vehemently.

"_Now_," he almost-growled.

Edward's expression was pained as I gazed into his eyes, hoping that he knew an excuse that could get me out of this one. He appeared to be deep in thought, but then, giving up, he hung his head. "See you tomorrow, Bella," he whispered in defeat.

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EDWARD

When he was dragging her away, out of the store, she looked at me, pure, unadulterated terror in her eyes. I could not bear to see her that way. But what else could I do? I could try beating the life out of him- which I could, indeed, do- but he would continue to torment her.

Mike would never leave Bella alone, so long as he was able. Still, the expression that was constantly on her face was about to drive me insane. There had to be a way. Bella Swan was the most gentle, beautiful, intelligent woman I knew. And she was forcing herself to submit to him out of _fear_? That hardly seemed right.

"Edward," she nodded in my general direction, waltzing into the restaurant, nearly half an hour late, the next morning. The façade must have been all she knew, now.

Suddenly, I heard a strange, honking sound. It was Mike, warning Bella. She shivered a bit, but didn't seem surprised by the obnoxious gesture. She plastered a fake smile on her face and turned to wave goodbye as he drove away.

"Okay, what gives?" I asked, crossing my arms over my chest.

Tears brimmed in the corner of her eyes, spilling out one after another. Dumbfounded, I dropped the uncounted money back into the register, closing the space between us as I embraced her, rubbing her back gently. "I-I-I'm so s-sorry," she stuttered into my chest. I squeezed her tighter.

"What for, Bells?" I replied distractedly, trying to stop her bitter tears. She sobbed.

"For being late… I left you alone… this wasn't even your job until I… I…" She was crying too hard now. I knew this wasn't just about being late.

"Don't be sorry, Bella," I whispered encouragingly, "Just tell me what's happened."

"Mike," she let out in one big breath. I knew it. That little… I'd kill him…

"What did he do to you, Bella?" I asked furiously, still patting her back, her head buried in my shoulder as she continued to weep.

She held out her arm silently, a group of large bruises blossoming over the entire surface. I shook my head. "He… he…" She nodded, the tears starting again. I took her back in my arms, pulling my fingers through her untangled hair this time.

"Bella, I'm so, so sorry. This is all my fault. Will you forgive me?" I begged. I knew I owed her much, much more than a stupid apology, but I couldn't think of anything more appropriate.

"Wha-what?" she asked, looking up at me incredulously. She hurriedly wiped the tears away from her cheeks. "No. you can't blame yourself. This is all me… and I will take care of it."

I placed two fingers under her chin, lifting her eyes to meet my own. "But don't you see that you don't _have _to do this alone?"

She looked away quickly. "Yes I do," she mouthed. "This is my problem. I don't want your charity." That felt like being slapped.

"Ch-charity?!" I fell back a few steps. "Bella Swan! Have you ever thought for a second that I was trying to protect you, I don't know, maybe because I _care_ about you?"

She shook her head. "No. Because I wouldn't know what that feels like."

And then I understood. Completely. She didn't know what it felt like for someone to genuinely care about her, because no one ever had. Until me.

"You do now," I reminded her gently, hugging her to me once again. "I want you to be happy, Bella. But most of all, I want to know that you're _safe_."

"But that isn't possible if Mike is picking me up here every day," she said quietly, presenting the bruises once again. I winced.

"No. It isn't," I sighed.

She held my gaze intently, and I thought she might cry again. But instead she wrapped her arms around my waist. I could definitely get used to that kind of fighting.

"I wish it was easier to believe, Edward," she said. I inhaled, breathing in the strawberry-kiwi scent of her hair.

"To believe what?" I thought aloud.

"That you cared about me," she admitted sheepishly. "Or that anyone does, for that matter."

"Oh yeah?" I asked, grinning.

"Mmm-hmm. I'm sorry, but after all I've been through… It just gets harder and harder. People say they care about me all the time. I haven't yet determined how to decide if it's the truth or not," she mumbled.

"I know how," I said, backing up to look at her face.

"How is that?" she asked disbelievingly.

"I'll prove it to you," I offered, deciding to take a risk.

I placed my hands subtly on either side of her face, and she did not reject them. So far, so good, I thought to myself. I leaned forward, our lips inches apart. She stood completely still, gazing intensely back at me. I inched forward a bit more and then…

The echo of the jingling bells of the opening door echoed throughout the room. I was beginning to dread that sound.

**A/N: Oooooh, cliffy! Mua ha ha ha! No, seriously, review and I'll try to get the next chapter up ASAP. I already know who the unwanted guest is. See if you can guess. ( :**

**.Cucumber- I have taken your review into consideration. Thanks for that advice, but I actually like the way you made Bella a bit unconfident, until the confronting, of course. But I will definitely take that advice into consideration. **

**P.S: Again, sorry so short!! **


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N: Well thank you guys for the wonderful reviews. There weren't very many for the last chapter, but I like to thank all of the people who take the time to review each chapter. You guys rock my world. The title for this chapter was taken from my absolute favorite song. The first to name it gets cookies!! (Virtual ones, that is.)**

**Seven**

**Baby, It's A Fine Line**

BELLA

I groaned loudly, pulling back a bit as Emmett bound through the front door. "What is it, Emmett?" Edward demanded, looking frustrated.

I found it difficult to appear angry, however, being happy as I was at that glorious moment. Edward Cullen had been seconds away from kissing me. Whether it was a heat-of-the-moment reaction or not, that had to mean something.

Emmett stood, frozen, extremely embarrassed, by the look on his face. "Am I interrupting something?" he asked, a smile playing with the corners of his lips.

"Yes, you are," Edward said indifferently. "So if that's all you needed…" He tried to shoo him away. I couldn't help but laugh at his reaction.

"No problem, no problem," Emmett agreed, holding his hands up defensively. "I can see when I'm not wanted. I just wanted to come by and ask for a stapler. I just finished a ten page essay, and I'd hate to lose all of that work on the street or something…"

"A _stapler_?" Edward asked, staring at his brother incredulously. "You come barging in here, interrupt our almost… for a _stapler_?!"

Emmett nodded, obviously confused. "Yeah. So, do you guys have one to spare?"

Edward growled, rushing to the counter and back, producing a stapler. "Here you go. Now if you don't mind…"

"Wait," Emmett interrupted. I rolled my eyes dramatically.

"WHAT?" Edward and I exclaimed unanimously.

"It's just… before… you said 'almost'… almost what?" I felt a deep blush creeping up my neck and settling on my cheeks.

"Nothing, Em," Edward said, pushing him toward the door. "It's over now."

"Sorry for interrupting!" Emmett's voice boomed right before the door closed behind him. I sighed.

"Edward, was that… I mean, did you…"

"Yes, Bella," he said solemnly. "I did. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to-"

The urge to kiss him became overwhelming, then. I deserved some sort of comfort, even if I did have to stay with Mike.

I rushed forward without a second thought, cutting him off mid sentence. My hands wrapped involuntarily around his neck and through his hair, and I felt his own strong, muscular arms clinging to my waist as my lips crashed against his.

I realized that this was my first time ever feeling like this. I'd only ever been kissed by Mike, whose antics were somehow very, very different. Kissing Edward felt like floating, whereas kissing Mike felt like being restrained. Edward's arms were a safe haven; Mike was the essence of what made me feel scared.

Edward placed another soft, lingering kiss on my lips before pulling back way too soon. "I… Bella… you…" he stuttered, flustered.

I smiled sadly. "Thank you, Edward," was all I could say.

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EDWARD

"Thank _me_? No, thank you, Bella…but…why did you-"

"YOU KISSED ME BACK, didn't you, Edward?" she grinned, her eyes closed.

"Of course I did, Bella. Couldn't you tell? I've been dying to do that," I said admittedly.

She shook her head, keeping her eyes tightly shut, that insanely beautiful grin still plastered on her face. "No. But I have too… You should know that."

I nodded, taking her hands and pulling her toward me. She finally opened her eyes at this, cocking one eyebrow briefly, but not protesting, when I kissed her again. And again. And again. After all, this was quite possibly the first and last time I'd ever get to do that.

"Edward… I… wish… it… were… different…" she said in between short, sweet kisses.

I stopped. "Me too."

"But Mike… You have to understand…" She looked ready to cry again.

I felt an overwhelming urge to improve her mood, but I'd no idea how to go about doing that. "Bella," I whispered, wiping away the tears that had begun to fall inevitably. I had prepared myself for them, but still, it pained me to see her hurting like this.

"I'm so sorry, Edward," she sobbed, placing her hand on my chest lightly. "I… I'm so stupid and helpless… and I put all of this on you…"

What was she talking about? Where was this coming from? Wasn't _I_ the one who'd initially tried to kiss _her_? "Bella, stop," I ordered with a bit more force than I'd originally intended. She stopped talking long enough to look up at me. "You didn't _bring_ anything on me. Don't you think if I wanted to back out of your melodramatic life, I would have done so by now?"

"I-"

"But I haven't," I continued, looking at her pointedly. I needed to get this out. "Because I care about you too much to just leave you to fend for yourself."

She huffed. "I _can_ take care of myself," she muttered. "No one asked you to come barging into my life. Before you came here, I was perfectly content being… with Mike…" She was a horrible liar.

"He could have killed you, Bella," I whispered quickly, reaching out for one of her hands. Her legs began to shake, and I guided her to a nearby booth, where we sat together, on the same side.

"He hasn't yet," she said bitterly, crossing one leg over the other with much effort. Her face was ghastly pale, and I wondered if she didn't need medical attention.

"Bells, are you feeling alright?" I asked randomly.

"Stop trying to change the subject, Edward!" she snapped. "Mike has never… it was never… just sort of…"

"Don't try and tell me that what Mike did wasn't bad, Bella," I said, clenching my fists. "He hurt you. _Is_ hurting you, Bella… why won't you let me help you?"

"Because I don't need your help," she argued persistently.

"Okay, well, have you ever thought that maybe_ I_ needed to help _you_? For me, Bella?"

"What do you mean by that?" she asked curiously.

"It hurts to see you in pain, Bella," I explained. "It's not easy. I don't like the feeling that I get when I don't know where you are, if you're with him, if he's hurt you in any way… So you don't have to require my help. All I'm asking is that you let me take care of you for my sake."

"I… I… I…" she staggered, her breathing uneven.

"Bella, say something," I said urgently. "Speak to me."

"My…it's…I'm…"

"Do you want me to take you to the hospital?"

"To the… my head… yes… please… I think… good idea…"

"Okay. Let's go," I said, stepping out of the booth and throwing on my jacket.

"Umm… Edward?" she called; I was already halfway to the door.

"Yeah?" I asked, turning around to see that she hadn't moved from the table.

"I can't… walk… dizzy…" She swallowed.

"Right." Why was I so stupid? I sprinted back to her, picking her up bridal style. "Okay. Now we just have to make sure… BELLA!"

She was lying in my arms, her head lolled to the side, eyes closed. This wasn't happening… _couldn't_ be happening to me… to her. I racked my brain. What had I learned about CPR in high school? Put her down, Edward, I reminded myself.

I sat her on the floor carefully, breathing into her open mouth carefully, pinching her nose. I pulled back after an enormous blow and pressed my hand against her chest twice. "Bella, can you hear me? Bella, say something please!"

She coughed once, but did not speak. I felt helpless. "Bella, speak to me!" I shouted pointlessly. "BELLA! Please, I need you to help me! What's happening?" What a stupid question!

I blew another breath into her mouth and pushed down on her with such force that I was sure she would break. Nothing. "Bella, can you hear me?"

"Edward?" she mouthed. It was a soundless gesture, but it meant progress. I'd take it.

"I'm here, Bella," I said frantically.

"Mike… he…" My stomach lurched at the mention of his name.

"Mike's not here, Bells. Please, I need you to help me," I begged, on the verge of tears. How had this happened so fast? She had been perfectly normal and then… this…

"No, Edward, he…" she began.

"He what, Bella? What did he do?" I urged. She shook her head over and over.

"I can't do this! Mike's… he'll…"

"No, Bella, Mike isn't here!"

"Oh, really?"

No! It couldn't be… but it was… this was bad… _Really_ bad…

**A/N: Alright, mini cliffy. Lol. Please, please, please, please, please review this chapter. And then you'll get another one. So it's a win-win situation, don't you agree? **


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N: To answer your… question, I guess… .Cucumber, she was supposed to have been dwindling? I really don't know. I guess it was a bit too fast to really grasp it… Haha. Anyway, on to the next chapter. **

**Eight**

**All I Wanna Do Is Love You**

BELLA

I had to be dreaming. Why else would a cartoonish devil and a beautiful angel be fighting over me? "Bella!" they were shouting. "Wake up!" I squirmed. The angel was losing!

"Keep fighting!" I shouted aimlessly. "You can't let me go!"

But that was just it: Why would a dream sequence want me to wake up? "Bella!" the angel called in a faint whisper… or was he yelling? "Bella, you have to wake up. Listen to me! I felt cool, comforting hands on my cheeks, but they must have been his real hands and my real cheeks. The dream Bella did not seem to notice.

I forced my eyes open painfully, struggling to keep them that way. "Edward?" I asked tentatively.

"Yes, Bella, it's me," he said, relaxing his position significantly. He was now sitting, Indian style, beside me, Mike lingering behind him. "How are you feeling?"

"Terrible," I admitted, pressing my fingers to my temples in a feeble attempt to calm the raging headache I was forming.

He smiled faintly. "What do you think you're doing?" Mike demanded, pushing Edward back and sitting down beside me. "BELLA! What is wrong with you?" He shook me by the shoulders.

"M-Mike!" I shouted hoarsely, my head spinning profusely. "STOP!"

"You shut up!" he ordered. I stood up, backing away from him.

"Leave, Mike," I whispered. His eyes widened, fists clenched, face reddening violently.

"WHO DO YOU THINK YOU ARE?" he yelled, cornering me.

"I _said _'leave'. Now." I didn't know for sure where this little burst of confidence had come from, but I had one good guess: Edward. Just knowing that he was here for me, that he wanted me, was enough to give me a newfound strength and confidence in myself. And honestly, I never could have done it without him.

His crimson face was nearer to mine now, almost touching it. "Isabella Swan," he spat. "Don't you ever come crawling back to me _ever _again, you hear? Because I won't be waiting for you."

Like that was supposed to _scare_ me! "That's absolutely fine with me," I rebutted, matching his angry glare. "Did you actually think that I wanted to be with you all of this time? You're crazy! Didn't you take into consideration the fact that I would have left you in a heartbeat if I could've? If you hadn't been so abusive and possessive!"

He drew in a deep breath, as if to steady himself, before slapping me smartly across the face. "How dare you, Bella Swan? After all I've given you!" I recoiled, and Edward was at my side instantly. He wrapped his long, shaking fingers around Mike's neck, completely ready to choke him.

"Edward," I cautioned, touching his forearm lightly, an affectionate expression written on my face as I gazed up at him. "He's not even worth it."

"Not worth it?! You ungrateful little-" Mike started to argue.

"I'm sorry, did you have something else to say to Miss Swan, Mister Newton?" When had Emmett come in? I felt a grin spread across my face.

"Yeah, I-" He shuddered, turning around, running smack into Emmett's defined chest. He chuckled. "N-n-n-no, sir."

Edward, too, laughed at his reaction. Mike sprinted toward the door, turning around, first, to shout, "I'm nowhere close to finished with you, Bella Swan!"

Edward's arms closed around my shoulders comfortingly, and I found myself staring intently at his chest as he embraced me. "I'm sorry, Bella."

What was he talking about? "Wh- Are you crazy? Thank me? You probably just saved my life!"

"But Emmett and I… we could have done more… he'll be back for you," he apologized, stroking my cheek gently. I placed my hand on top of his, holding it to my cheek.

"But you were here for me," I answered, just above a whisper. "And you didn't let me give in to Mike. If not for you and Emmett, I would be at his house right now. I'd probably be lying on his couch, breathing heavily, trying to… to…"

The force of all of the dizziness I'd avoided thus far hit me like a freight train. "To what, Bells?" Emmett asked, eyeing me suspiciously.

"To stay… alive, Edward… about that hospital…" I reminded him, laughing unconvincingly. I was far from fine, but after all they'd done for me, it didn't seem right to dump the burden of worrying about her on them.

"Right," Edward remembered, pulling me up into his arms again, just as effortlessly as the first time. "Promise me one thing, Bella?"

Who was he kidding? I would have promised him my life if he asked. "Anything," I nodded, snuggling my head into his warm, inviting chest.

"Promise me that you won't pass out on me this time?" I giggled tiredly.

"No problem."

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EDWARD

I was only half joking. I was sure I couldn't handle the pressure of having to revive Bella a second time. She was so delicate… so breakable… and she'd yet to figure out my biggest secret. I could not risk anything with her, or it could mean her life.

Emmett stayed at Swan's a few extra minutes to make sure Mike didn't come back, though deep inside I knew he wouldn't. The only reason he'd abused Bella for so long was because she was too small and helpless to defend herself against him. He knew Mike's type. He was a bully. Emmett and I together could murder him, and he knew that. He might have been a despicable, malignant jerk, but I had to admit that he wasn't stupid. He would steer clear of the two of us if he could.

"Edward?" Bella asked quietly, interrupting my thoughts.

"Yes?" I replied, trying not to let my increasing anger with Mike show.

"Thank you so much for driving me to the… the hospital," she said, taking a deep, and apparently much needed, breath.

"No problem," I told her, tightening my grip on the steering wheel slightly. "Now can you do something for me, Bells?"

"Sure."

"Stop thanking me." From the corner of my eye, I saw the shaky, unsure smile light up her beautiful features.

"I guess I can manage that," she said, yawning.

I glanced at her briefly before turning back to the road. "Tired?"

She nodded. "A bit. Mostly just dizzy."

"Okay. Well we're here," I explained, jumping out to open her door for her. I wouldn't take the risk of letting her trip over her own feet at a time like this. I fastened her arm around my waist and supported all of her weight as we walked into the emergency ward.

"Can I help you?" the nurse at the front desk asked, staring me up and down. I cleared my throat nervously, and her gaze bounced up to my face. This did not go unnoticed by Bella, who stiffened at my side.

"My… girlfriend…" The word felt funny on my tongue, but it fit. "She needs help… I… she… she fell… and… she passed out earlier and…"

"Of course," she interrupted. I stared at her. "Get this woman a wheelchair!" she called out, pointing at Bella. "Room one o' six."

"Thank you," I said quickly, as a short, robust doctor wheeled Bella back into the narrow halls.

She smiled seductively. "You can thank me later." She winked. I shuddered.

"Edward!" Bella was shouting.

"Coming, Bells!" I shouted back. The nurse rolled her eyes dramatically. "I'd better be going. My girlfriend… she needs me…"

Room one o' six was a dark hole at the end of the hallway, with paisley shades and off-white walls. A dark blue vase was perched atop the bedside table to the left of Bella, but it was flowerless. I wondered how the staff could expect people to get well in such a depressing room.

"Anything I can do for you, Bells?" I asked.

"Yes," she whispered hoarsely, her voice worse than before. She shivered under the crisp white sheet. "Sit with me."

"But of course, Madam," I obliged, taking a seat on the bed beside her. "Anything else?"

She laughed weakly. "Nope. All I need is you."

The words were simple enough. It was the seriousness in her voice that caught me off guard. At that moment I knew that I felt the same way she did. It felt great, being on the same wavelength for once. I wanted, needed, to be with her, and she wanted to be with me, too.

"Good. Because that's all I have to offer," I added jokingly, covering her hand with mine. She sat up cautiously, closing what little space there was between us with a sweet, but not too short, kiss. I made myself refrain from using too much energy; she was, after all, lying in a hospital bed.

"Don't… leave me, Edward," she muttered into my shirt. I tightened my arms around her.

"I never plan on it, Bella Swan," I answered in all honesty.

**A/N: Hello people. Thank you so much for the wonderful reviews on the last chapter! I am incredibly sorry that it took me so long to update this chapter! I was suffering from writer's block. Never fear, however, because the next chapter will be fluff-filled, and I have no trouble with the fluff. So REVIEW!**


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N: Wow, you guys have gotten great at reviewing! I really appreciate all of this support from you guys. I hope it's because you actually like my story and not because you feel obligated to review it…**

**Nine**

**My Other Half**

BELLA

_Charlie was yelling like I'd never seen him before. He was, undoubtedly, angry with me, but I could not figure out why to save my life. "Bella!" he was shouting repeatedly, shaking me by the shoulders. "How could you do this to me? How dare you?"_

"_What… what have I done?" I cried, terrified of the bitter, determined look in his eyes. _

"_What have you done?" he repeated, desperation thick in his voice. "You've besmirched our name! How dare you disrespect our family's good name with that… that… __**bloodsucker**__?!" _

_What was he babbling about? And when was the last time our "family" had had a good name? He and Renee were on the verge of divorce, or, at best, separation, and everyone in Forks knew it. "Dad? No! What do you mean! I didn't…"_

_He shook me again, this time piercing his long, bony fingers into my forearms. "You know very well what I mean, Isabella Marie Swan! How long have you been sneaking around with that boy behind our backs? Months? Years?"_

"_Dad! Dad!" I stalled him. "It's only been three weeks!" I conveniently left out the fact that it had been the most blissful, heavenly three weeks in my entire existence. _

"_You stay away from him, you hear me?" he ordered. I shook my head violently, weeping. _

"_No! You can't make me! I-I won't!"_

"_Bella?"_

"Bella!"

"Edward!" I gasped, sitting straight up in my bed. "Did… did you sleep at all last night?" I asked.

He shook his head. "No. Then, I was pretty content watching you sleep. Until you started thrashing all over the place and screaming." He stroked my cheek gently with the back of his hand, staring into my eyes comfortably. "What was that all about, Bells?"

I realized I was still breathing hard, my heart beating a mile a minute. I must have been a sight to see, what with my hair frizzing out all around my head, my eyes wide with horror. "Bad…" I gulped, licking my bottom lip. "Bad dream."

"What about?" he persisted, moving on to caress my hair, trying to fix it, probably.

"I… you," I admitted, seeing no reason to lie to him.

"What about me?" he continued, worry working itself into his expression.

"It's… you're not going to believe me," I began cautiously.

"Try me."

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EDWARD

I couldn't read Bella's mind, but I had one good guess as to what her dream had been about. What I could not understand was how she could possibly dream such a real, current thing. It couldn't be purely coincidental… could it? Either way, I could no longer lie to her.

"It was… Charlie and I… and he was shaking me… telling me that you were a…a…" she stammered. I took her face in both of my hands, kissing her forehead.

"A what, Bella?" I urged, patiently as I could pull off. "What did he say I was?"

"Well, I don't _know _exactly… I think it was something like… bloodsucker… but I don't… I don't understand what that means…" I inhaled deeply, silently counting to ten. The last thing I needed was to have her think I was angry with her.

"A vampire, Bella," I breathed.

"I guess that makes sense in the context. But why would my dream-Charlie think you were a… vampire?" she wondered.

"Bella," I said calmly, holding her intense, figuring gaze. "In your dream, the fact that Charlie claimed that I was a vampire… it might have something to do with the fact that… I am."

She looked confused for a second, but then her befuddled expression turned oddly humorous. She laughed. "That's hilarious, Edward," she said. "But seriously, I don't know why I'd have such a weird dream…"

"Bells!" I interrupted, taking in another unnecessary breath. "I'm not joking here."

She stopped laughing abruptly and looked up at me. "What do you mean, you're not joking?"

I wished there was an easy answer to that question. "I am… a… a vampire… I'm sorry… I shouldn't have…"

"You _what_?" she roared disbelievingly. Now _this_ was the reaction I'd expected. "How can… how can you be a… a…"

"Vampire?" I supplied. She cringed at how easily I used the term.

"I don't believe you," she concluded, crossing her arms over her chest. "You don't look anything like a vampire."

I chuckled. "What exactly does a vampire look like, Bella?"

"I… you're supposed to… not like you!" she argued. I ran my hand over the length of her arm, and, to my surprise, she did not flinch away from me.

"I see," I said quietly. "You were expecting a story-book vampire. Coffins, no reflections, shape shifting into a bat, that sort of thing." She was nodding, and I could only guess that it was because I had hit the nail on the head with my assumption.

"How… vampires are… they're not real," she said, her voice meeker, less resistant now. She was giving in to the idea.

"And yet, here I sit," I joked. She glanced away from me face.

"I'm sorry, Bella," I apologized, all of the humor vanished from my voice. "I wouldn't blame you if you didn't… if you wanted to… I mean, if you wanted me to leave…"

"I don't care what you are, Edward Cullen," she whispered, her voice resolute.

"You… you don't?" I asked incredulously. Hadn't she been listening? I was… dangerous. And though I knew that I could never hurt her, not after I'd seen firsthand all she'd dealt with because of Mike, she could not possibly be so sure.

"No. I don't. I need you, no matter what you are. That's for sure," she replied.

"But… you… could be in danger…" I explained.

"You won't hurt me," she said, as if it were the most obvious statement possible.

"You don't know that," I answered. This time it was my turn to look away uncomfortably. After all, I'd never been in this close proximity to a human. How could I be sure that my self-control would be enough to protect Bella?

"Yes I do," she rebutted, pressing her face into my rock-hard chest. "I know you couldn't hurt me if you wanted to." I hoped, for her sake, that she was right.

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BELLA

I knew, that if I lived to be a thousand years old, I would never get used to Edward being a… vampire. I also knew that I could not exist without him, either. In a short five weeks, he had become my other half. So, whether he was a vampire, a snake, or the boogie man, Edward was permanently with me.

"So, is there anything else I should know about the whole… vampire thing?" I asked, trying to keep my voice light and teasing.

"Well…" He looked uneasily at me, tightening his arm around my shoulder. I snuggled deeper into his chest, pulling the blanket with me.

"Well?"

"I… some of us… have gifts…" he said.

"Some of us as in…?"

"Emmett… and my sisters, Alice and Rosalie… you haven't met them yet but…"

"Emmett, too, huh?" I grinned. "I knew there was something special about him. He's not exactly… normal, in case you haven't noticed. But I had no idea you had sisters. And when you say gifts, do you mean…"

"Well… it's mainly Alice and I… I can… read people's thoughts…" he said.

I gasped. "That's incredible, Edward!"

"I suppose it's pretty handy. And Alice, she can see the future," he continued.

"Astounding," I whispered. "But… if you could read my mind all along… then why did you…"

"Actually, that's just it, Bella," he interrupted. "I can't read your mind. There's something special about you… I can't quite put my finger on it… but…"

"Wow. Something special about me. That's a new one," I sighed bitterly. I had, and always would be, plain in comparison to Edward.

Before I knew it, his hands were encircling my face, his lips crushed against mine. "Bella Swan, you are the most unbelievably special person I've ever met."

I was beaming. I could feel it. After all, it's not every day that someone as breathtakingly gorgeous as Edward Cullen tells you that you're special. "Whatever you say, Edward."

"It's true," he assured me. "Any more… questions you would like me to answer?" I bit my lip. "Alright, I can see the curiosity in your eyes, Bella. You're not that hard to read. Whatever it is, it can't be that bad."

"Well…" I started, unsure of how to phrase the inevitable question. "I was just wondering… you know… what… you guys… eat…"

**A/N: Cliff hanger. Dun, dun, duuuuuuunnn. Haha. If you review, I will update. It's as easy as that. So make sure to leave a quick little comment on your way through. Thank you,**

**C.J.**


	10. Chapter 10

**A/N: Okay, you guys officially rock. Lots of reviews for the last chapter. I really appreciate that. So, without further ado…**

**Ten**

**Too Much Pain**

BELLA

"E-eat?" he coughed, shutting his eyes. "I- Bella… I don't think you want to…"

"Do you eat… blood?" I asked stupidly, reaching out to grab his hand. "I just… I'm just curious… You don't have to tell me if you don't want to."

"Maybe we shouldn't do this anymore, Bells," he said quickly, gulping loudly.

I flinched away from him, staring confusedly into his pained, glowing eyes. "Do what, Edward?" I whispered, already knowing the answer.

"We need to… break this off…" he stammered, tears glistening in the corners of his eyelids. He blinked them away.

"I didn't mean to… offend you, Edward," I replied, unable to hold his grief-stricken gaze.

"No, no, no, Bella," he interrupted, framing my face with his cool, hard hands. "You mustn't blame yourself… please… I need you to be happy."

"How can I be happy without you?" I reminded him. "You're the best thing that's ever happened to me!"

"I'm a vegetarian," he mumbled sadly, catching the tears that rolled continually down my cheeks with his thumbs.

"I don't care if you're the purple people eater!" I argued, sliding closer to him.

He laughed somberly. "No, Bella, 'vegetarian' means something different to me than it does to you."

"What?"

"Come here," he ordered gently, motioning for me to sit next to him. I dragged the patchwork quilt that covered my bed to my body, snuggling into his chest.

"What does it mean to be vegetarian to you, then?" I asked finally.

"We don't drink… human blood," he explained, inhaling deeply, unevenly. "Only… only animals."

"Well, then, why didn't you want me to know?" I wondered aloud. It seemed weird that he'd be so hesitant to tell me that he didn't eat… humans.

"Because… I haven't tested my self-control lately. I'm not used to being in this close proximity to humans, Bella, especially not ones that smell as good as you do. And there's no way I could live with myself if I ever… hurt you…"

I smiled halfheartedly. "You won't hurt me," I assured him, pressing my face into his shirt. "You couldn't."

"I'm glad you're so sure," he quipped. I glanced up at his face, so full of worry. It pained me to see his torn expression.

"I am," I said. "I'm not afraid of you, Edward."

"You should be." He looked quickly away.

"But I'm not," I repeated, louder this time. "I can't be scared. How could I, after all that I've been through with _human_ guys?"

He recoiled. "What if I'm not better than him, Bella?" he demanded, his eyes hard and cold as his hands.

"You already are, Edward! You've already saved me from him, from so much more than you can possibly imagine! Can't you see that I _owe_ you my life?"

"I would never ask for your life," he answered softly. "All I ask is that you do whatever makes you happiest."

I nodded. "_You_ are what makes me happy, Edward."

"Then I'll be here. As long as you need me."

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EDWARD

I was so incredibly selfish for agreeing to stay with Bella. She knew nothing of the danger I could present. I could have killed her. I would hate myself for giving in. But I did, for her as well as for myself. One thing I would not do, however, is hurt her. She would be safe as long as I had anything to do with it.

"Well, we've spent the better half of today in bed, Miss Swan," I sighed, smiling halfway. "What say we salvage the rest of the only day off we'll probably ever have and get some pizza?"

"Seriously?" she asked, sitting up leaning away from me as she sat up.

"Why not?" I laughed.

"It's just that… after… that conversation… pizza seems so… casual…" she stuttered, shrugging her shoulders.

"Sushi?" I suggested. She giggled, a sound that brought music to my ears. At that point I knew that I was too weak; I could not leave her. I needed her. Without her trilling laughter, selflessness, and genuine beauty, I would not survive day to day. I couldn't even remember how I'd done it before meeting her.

"That's a bit more appropriate," she grinned. "And Edward?"

"Yes, dear?" I replied.

"Thanks for… letting me in on the secret… I really appreciate it."

"You're so very welcome, my Bella." A look- most likely of pain- flashed across her face, and I reached out for her hand. "What's the matter?"

"It's just that… when you say 'my Bella'… it reminds me of…"

"Mike?" I offered, flinching slightly at the name.

She tilted her head to the side, gazing at me. "Yes. Of Mike. How… possessive… but when you say it it sounds so much… sweeter… more careful…"

"Because it is," I said pointedly, kissing her cheek. "I never… please don't compare me to him, though. I don't see how he can treat you that way…" I felt my nostrils flaring as I spoke, my eyes darkening.

"He doesn't think much of it," she said, leaning her head on my shoulder. "It comes as naturally to him as breathing."

"It's pitiful," I answered, stroking her back. "And sadistic. I could never bear the pained look in your eyes whenever…" I let the sentence trail off as she pulled away, looking up at me once again.

"Better not to relive that," she said, and I nodded in agreement.

"There's no reason to… to worry about it now," I muttered, putting my brave façade back on. "Let's get going."

I stood up almost immediately, pulling her downstairs behind me, and, theoretically, the sorrow. For just a night, it could wait.

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BELLA

Eating with a vampire was not awkward, as I'd expected. Edward watched me eat, and, of course, I dreaded the limelight. But other than the extra attention, everything was at ease.

"If I asked you a few questions… would you answer them for me?" I asked him, taking a small bite of my egg roll.

"Possibly," he agreed coyly. "What kind of questions?"

"Like… What's it like, being a… you know… and all?" I stuttered. He looked amused.

"Being a vampire is scarcely different than being human, Bella," he said calmly, glancing at my hands. "The only major difference is the fact that I could pick you up and throw you at the wall and you'd probably go three buildings over."

"Well that's not threatening at all," I mumbled sarcastically, rolling my eyes. He chuckled lightly.

"It shouldn't be. Think of what I could do to _Mike_."

"Well," I grinned, dropping my fork noisily onto the tabletop. "When you put it _that_ way, it doesn't sound all that bad."

He nodded his agreement. "It doesn't, does it?"

"But Mike's gone," I said, more for my benefit than his. "He's… he's gone."

"Yes, Bella, you saw him leave," Edward soothed, switching to my side of the booth.

"Yeah. I did." Didn't I? He'd stormed out of the shop, but what was it that he'd said? 'I'm nowhere close to finished with you, Bella Swan!' What was that supposed to mean?

"And you saw the way he looked at Emmett," he pointed out. I laughed subconsciously.

"I… yeah… I saw that, too," I concurred. "But he also said that he wasn't 'done with me'. What could he possibly have meant by that?"

"It doesn't matter," Edward replied bleakly, wrapping his arm around my shoulder. I leaned closer to him. "Whatever he meant by that means nothing now. Because I'll never let him near you, Bella Swan," he said, with a kind of determination in his blackened eyes that made me shiver.

He pulled away, mistaking it for my being too cold. I caught his hand in midair. "Don't."

He almost smiled as his arm found its way around me again. I inhaled deeply, tightening my scarf around my neck. "I hope you're right about Mike, Edward," I said.

He looked distant, his eyes wrenching in pain as he positioned himself in front of me protectively.

"What is it?" I asked him frantically. "What are you doing, Edward?"

"It's him."

I gulped. How ironic.

**A/N: Better? Worse? Good? Terrible? I want to know, people! So review, review, review, review, and then after you've done that, REVIEW. Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to all of you wonderful readers. Sugar cookies for all reviewers of this chapter. Much love,**

**C.J.**


	11. Chapter 11

**A/N: Here goes the next chapter. Haha. Thank you all for reviewing. Virtual sugar cookies all around! You guys rock my world. By the way, the first to name the band that sings the title song gets EXTRA cookies. ( : ( :**

**Eleven**

**Running Just to Catch Myself**

BELLA

"What do you mean 'It's him'?" I asked anxiously, fiddling with the strings on my black-and-white plaid winter coat.

"Mike. He's coming, Bella. He should be walking through that door in three… two…"

I held my breath, refusing to believe it. Mike was nowhere close.

"One."

The door in the front of the restaurant swung open, slamming loudly. "Bella!" Mike roared, ignoring the hostess as she offered him a menu. "What are you doing here?" The question was directed toward Edward, but he would not speak.

"Eating," I said, trying to sound nonchalant. After all, I had a vampire on my side, did I not?

"Oh, eating, well excuse me for interrupting!" he shouted, sarcasm thick in his voice. "Can I speak to you for a moment, _alone_?"

"I don't think that's such a good idea," I cautioned.

"Did I ask for your opinion?" he was yelling. I blinked away the tears that were threatening to spill out onto my face.

"No, but I don't need an invitation from you," I said calmly, collecting myself.

"That should be rejection enough for you," Edward finally spoke up, his arm still secured around my waist.

Mike lunged at him, and before I had any idea what was happening, Edward had him pinned against the wall, holding him up by the collar of his red and green shirt. "You're lucky, Bella. You couldn't fend for yourself. So you had to find this punk to hide behind! Does he know that he's nothing more than your shield?"

"That's not true and you know it!" I shouted, standing up to him, my face inches from his. Edward released him, taking my hand in his.

"Oh _really_? Because I happen to know that that's all you've ever been, Bella! Scared!" he rebutted, stepping closer to me.

"Well you've given me a reason to be, haven't you?" I whispered serenely, looking away from his piercing gaze.

"What's that, Isabella?" he spat, inching closer to me once again. I felt Edward's fingers tighten around mine as he tried to pull me in the other direction.

"You're the reason, Mike, the reason I'm so defensive. The reason I won't let anyone within inches of me. The reason I'm so indecisive, so slow to trust! I hope you're proud of yourself! I hope it makes it easier for you to sleep at night, knowing that you've ruined me!" I said furiously, angry tears rushing in rivers down my face. I made no effort to wipe them away as he stared at me, dumbfounded.

"So this is how you're going to be then?" he asked finally. "This is what you choose?"

I nodded. "Yes. I can't live the way you want me to, Mike. It's inhumane. I prefer being bruise-less myself."

Edward tensed beside me, and I patted his chest softly. Mike took another step, and his green eyes flashed red suddenly, the tears I thought I'd seen earlier in the bedroom turning out to be nothing more than a reflection of the furiousness he felt. How could I have been so stupid as to assume that he was crying? Vampires didn't cry… did they?

"We're leaving now, Bella," Edward demanded, never taking his eyes away from Mike.

"Oh, no, you're not!" Mike argued, grabbing my elbow. "You owe me more than this, Bella!" I cowered. What else did a wimp like me do in this sort of situation?

"You don't owe him anything, Bells," Edward soothed, yanking my arm away from Mike's rough, calloused hand.

I started to reply, but abruptly felt Mike pulling me backward by my hair. I squealed, doubling back in agony. Edward pressed his elbow into Mike's face, knocking him a good ten feet away from me. Our waitress, who had been very still and deathly quiet until this point, walked over nervously, extending her hand to me. I took it, looking graciously into her topaz eyes, and used it to steady myself as I stood up shakily.

Edward waltzed, a little too fast, to my side, and I buried my face in his chest. He held me tight for a moment, his eyes black and lifeless, before guiding me back to the parking lot. "I'm so sorry, Bella," he was whispering repeatedly. "So sorry."

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EDWARD

I'd scared him temporarily, but I could have done so much more. He would be back for her now. I knew that. If I'd only taken extra precautions… I would hate myself for this later, for sure.

"Bella? How do you feel?" I asked, opening the door on the passenger side for her.

"Oh!" she jumped as I reached out for her hand. Pain equaled only by a knife plunging into my heart shot through my body as she flinched away from my touch. "I… I'm sorry, Edward," she whispered, sensing the horror I felt.

I shook my head. "You have nothing to be sorry for, Bells," I said argumentatively. "No one ever said you had to heal as quickly as you did. It's perfectly normal for you… not to… trust… me."

She stood up abruptly, closing the door behind her as she fell into my arms. "Edward," she said, her chin resting on my shoulder. "I trust you more than I trust myself."

"Really?" I asked her.

She nodded. "Really. And not just because I'm so bad at taking care of myself." Her hand wandered aimlessly to the back of her head.

"You're so brave, Bella, you know that?" I said, kissing her hair.

"Right," she scoffed. "Bella, the run-away-and-trip-over-her-own-feet girl. What a hero."

"You're my hero," I muttered, moving my lips to her cheek, her nose, and then, finally, to her lips. She wound her fingers through my hair smoothly, pulling herself closer to me. I pushed her away, gently as I could manage, after a few moments of this. "Self-control," I reminded her, half-smiling.

"I believe you are more in control than you give yourself credit for, Mr. Cullen," she teased, holding my face in her warm, tiny hands.

"Is that right, Miss Swan?" I replied jokingly, leaning closer to her.

"Yes, it is," she said, gulping, nervous now. I tilted my head until our lips were centimeters apart. She held my gaze longingly, inching forward a bit.

I pulled back swiftly, taking her hand. "Well you're wrong."

She huffed, stomping her foot, agitated. "You're mean."

"You're right," I answered, pulling her behind me. "And also tired. I think you'd better go on up to bed. Charlie and Renee will be looking for you."

She cringed when I said 'Charlie'. "I… don't want you to leave," was her excuse. I knew the secret meaning behind those words. She didn't want me to leave her alone with Charlie.

"Don't worry, Bells," I soothed, leaning in for a chaste kiss as we stepped onto the porch. "I'll be up in about five minutes, when they've gone to bed."

"Well… okay," she agreed, hugging me quickly before descending into the house. My poor Bella. What had she done to deserve such fate?

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BELLA

"Where have you been?" Charlie demanded, skipping the greetings that were pretty much only for show, anyway.

"Out… I went to get some sushi, you know… to get away from all of the pizza…" I stammered, hoping he would buy my lame excuse.

"Whatever," he muttered, turning back to face the television.

I took the momentary lapse in conversation as my queue to leave. I took the stairs two at a time, rushing into the bathroom to change into my flannel pajama bottoms and a white tank top. I was lounging comfortably on the bed when Edward got there, seemingly flying up through the open window.

I gasped. "Are you ever going to get less breathtaking?" I asked the angelic figure sincerely. His appearance seemed so… surreal, more so every time I saw him.

"Well, I hope not," he laughed, snuggling into the bed beside me. He draped an arm over my stomach, rolling over to look at me. "Do you know that I'm as tired as a vampire can get right now?"

I giggled. "That's amazing. So… you never… sleep?"

"No," he said, almost apologetically. "I can't sleep. That's why it's such a comfort for me to watch you sleep."

"Well, then I am glad to provide a service for you, Edward," I said, mock-businesslike. "And I'm sorry. It seems like it makes you sad, not being able to sleep and all."

"Not as much as it used to," he answered, tucking the sheet around my slowly freezing body. "Now that I have you." Talk about surreal!

"That's ridiculous," I said. "Looking at me, and then at you… It just doesn't add up. You're so much more together, so much more… beautiful. I don't deserve you."

"You have it backwards, dear," he chuckled halfheartedly. "But that's a conversation for another day. Now you must sleep."

I started to argue, but the darkness and comfort of sleep sucked me in. I slept that way, in the confines of Edward's able arms, safer than I'd ever felt.

**A/N: Alrighty, well, no cliff hanger there. Lol. Please, please, please review, you guys. I didn't particularly like this chapter… and it was hard to write. But I want to know what YOU people think. If you want another chapter, please don't forget to review. Thank you, thank you,**

**C.J.**


	12. Chapter 12

**A/N: I love you guys, you review so much, and it just makes me so happy. Haha. And it's a really great motivator to update chapters. So I really appreciate it. Nine reviews per chapter is wonderful!**

**Twelve **

**If it Makes You Happy**

EDWARD

"Wake up, Bella," I cooed, playing with a curl that framed her pale, sleeping face. Her steady breathing accelerated as she sat up abruptly.

"Mike," she whispered dramatically, hugging her arms around herself. "He… he… he…" she hiccupped, sobbing.

"Shhh," I instructed, pulling her into my arms hesitantly. I didn't want her to think I was him, by any means. "Shh, Bella, it's alright. You were just having a nightmare."

"Edward?" she asked childishly, rolling into a ball, her head resting against my chest.

"Guilty," I pled, caressing her brilliantly flushed cheeks. "You're fine. Can you tell me what could be so bad that had you tossing and turning all night?"

"Nightmare," she answered sheepishly, pulling her legs closer to her stomach. "Horrible nightmare."

"Would you care to elaborate?" I offered, kissing her hair. She nodded.

"Just give me a second." I watched, amused, as she rearranged her hair, straightened out her white tank top, and drew in a sharp, piercing breath. "We were… in the woods… Mike and I," she began shakily. "The moon… it was… red… and he grabbed my wrists… and pulled me back into the trees. He… he had my shoulders pinned against this random tree… and I tried to scream. That was when I realized that I had no voice. I couldn't do anything. It was… it was… the worst… kind of torture… and he never stopped. It just went on that way… until you woke me up… I couldn't do anything… and finally I gave up. I just let him hurt me… I thought I was going to die, Edward!"

A single tear escaped her eyes as she blinked, trying to avoid the breakdown. I leaned forward, catching it with my lips. "Bella," I said, tracing random patterns over the back of her arm. "You never have to worry about anything like that happening, because I'll never let him near you again."

"But the other night…" she trailed off. I didn't have to read her mind to know what she meant.

My hand dropped to my side. I didn't blame her for losing trust in me. She had every right to, after all, because I hadn't been a very good protector. "Was my fault. And I'm so sorry, Bella. I just don't want you to be afraid…"

"I know," she choked. "But you have to understand that Mike and I had been dating for years before you came along. Charlie, of course, loved Mike like the son he'd always wished for. His number one ambition in life was to make sure that I ended up with Mike, in an abusive marriage just like him and Mom."

"So… you mean to say that Charlie… _knew _what Mike was doing to you… and he allowed it?" I spat, unable to believe that any father could wish such a thing on his only daughter.

"Not only did he allow it, he enforced it. I wasn't allowed out of the house unless it was to go on a date with Mike. Pretty soon, Charlie started acting just like him. He wasn't quite as bad most of the time, but he'd… get pretty mad if I wasn't home on time, or if he found out I was anywhere other than with Mike."

"Why… why would he just let him do that? Let you continue to see him, Bella? It doesn't make sense to me!" I rambled.

"I don't know for sure what I did to deserve all of that misery, but once, when Mike and Charlie were playing poker, I overheard Charlie tell Mike that it was all about 'knowing how to control your woman. If she does something you don't like, you make sure and show her who's boss, My Boy!'"

Anger coursed rapidly through my body as she wrapped her fingers into quotation marks around her father's brutal words. "Bella, can you promise me something?"

"Anything," she agreed hastily, pulling out from under the bedspread. "What is it?"

"I want you to promise me that if I ever do anything remotely close to _him_, that you'll leave me and never look back," I explained, completely serious.

"Edward, I don't know if I can…"

"Promise me, Bella," I ordered delicately.

"I… I can't do that, Edward," she replied, gazing helplessly into my eyes. "I can't promise you that. I don't think I'm that strong. I'll always need you."

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BELLA

I knew that it wasn't the answer he'd been hoping for, but I couldn't lie to Edward, even if he wouldn't read my mind. I had always been a horrible liar, and the signs flashed all over my expression. I would never leave him. I was permanently attached now. I felt certain that I couldn't breathe without him for a second, much less live the rest of my life without him.

"Promise me, Bella," he persisted, passing by me, a black tray full of pizza balanced effortlessly in his arms.

"I can't," I remained stubborn. "I can't lie to you."

"Excuse me, Waitress?" a tall, muscular teenager called from a booth in the back of the restaurant. I held up a forefinger to Edward, letting him know that I was going to take the table.

"Can I help you?" I asked, trying incredibly hard to keep up the polite façade.

"Well…" the boy pondered, a mischievous look in his dark, gray eyes. "I was going to ask what you'd recommend, but I think I'll just take your number."

"Okay," I played along, tapping my chin with my index finger, a thoughtful look on my face. "How about… 555-I-am-way-too-old-for-you?" I quipped angrily. "Does that work for you?"

"Aww, don't be so selfish, baby," he teased, winking at me. "I'm eighteen. That's legal."

"Yeah, well, I'm twenty-one," I rebutted, "and if you've got a problem with it, then maybe you should take it up with my boyfriend." As if on cue, Edward appeared by my side.

"What's up, Bells?" he asked nonchalantly.

"Oh, nothing, Edward," I said, suppressing a grin. "I think this _boy_ wants to know why he can't have my number."

"Umm… no… actually, I think I got it…" he stammered, glancing anxiously at Edward. "555-I-am-way-too-old-for-you. Got it. Thanks, Ma'am. See ya around… erm… Edward."

Edward chuckled darkly as the kid sprinted out of the shop without looking back once. "Tsk, tsk, tsk, Edward," I mocked. "You shouldn't scare away our customers like that. It's not good for business."

"Obviously," he grumbled, not bothering to fight back.

"I promise," I muttered reluctantly. "I promise, Edward, but I don't think there's anyway you could do that."

"Thank you, Bella," he whispered, embracing me tightly. "You have no idea how much that means to me."

"But… why? Why would you want me to leave you? I don't get it," I continued.

"I only care that you're happy, Bells," he explained. "I'd be selfish, of course, and try and convince you that I was sorry, but in the end I wouldn't want you to be with someone like that, anyway. I couldn't bear it if I were the one causing you so much pain. I've seen the effect that _he_ has on you."

"Well… if it makes you happy…" I agreed. "Then I guess it's alright with me."

He grinned, kissing my cheek. "You're wonderful, Bella, you know that?"

"PDA! PDA!" Emmett shouted, bounding through the open door. "You two do know that there are people trying to eat in here, right? Not everyone appreciated your kind of affection. I'm not so sure your parents would approve."

I winced. Edward elbowed Emmett in the gut. "Shut up, Emmett," he hissed.

"What did I say?"

"Nothing," I assured him, patting Edward's chest lightly. "I have to… erm… get back to work now… I'll talk to you two later."

"You haven't told Charlie and Renee yet, have you?" Emmett asked knowingly.

"Well… I just… I…" I stuttered, cursing him silently. This wasn't the time or place for that. "No," I admitted finally. "I haven't. But I have a perfectly good reason."

"Care to explain?" he pressed.

Edward threw his arm around my shoulder comfortingly. "You don't owe him any kind of explanation, Bells," he reminded me. I shook my head.

"No, it's fine. You see…"

**A/N: Cliffy!!!! You know what that means. If you want the next chapter, you must review. Immediately. Like your life depends on it, people!!! Not joking here. Haha. And I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas!! I know I did. **

**P.S. The first reviewer to name the artist for the title song gets extra sugar cookies and recognition in the next author's note. Much love,**

**C.J.**


	13. Chapter 13

**A/N: You guys rock my world. I felt the need to say that AGAIN due to the excess of reviews that you gave for the last chapter. I hope you don't hate me after this chapter… it's a songfic… sorry if you don't like that, but I found a song I wanted… (It helps the effect if you listen to the song while you read. Preferably really, really loud. ( : ) It's Simple Plan. **

**Thirteen**

**Save You**

BELLA

" So… let me get this straight," Emmett was saying. "You are not going to tell Charlie about Edward because of a _dream_?"

Alright, I'll admit that it sounded stupid, even to me. But he hadn't experienced the vivid detail of that nightmare. Dream-Charlie's ghastly face flashed through my mind as I nodded slowly. "Yes, Emmett. I don't think I can handle it…"

"But how can you be so sure that the real Charlie will be as bad as the Dream-Charlie?" he wanted to know. I glanced at the floor.

"Emmett," I whispered. "I've been coming home to the same angry, abusive 'father' for long enough to know that he'd kill me. If not because he knew that you guys are… vampires… then for dating an employee. This is a perfect excuse for him to hurt me one way or another."

Edward's ice-cold arm was around my shoulder then, and he supported my failing left side. I leaned into him, taking a deep breath. Emmett rolled his eyes.

"I still say he's going to find out sooner or later," he huffed.

"Emmett, you tell him, and I swear…" Edward threatened, a low growl escaping his throat.

"I'm not saying I'll tell him anything," Emmett shot back, holding his hands in the air in a defensive stance. "Bella's like a little sister to me. But there's Mike… and then there's the Volturi… he'll know soon enough, Edward."

"The… the Vol-what?" I wanted to know, frightened by the idea that there was still so much about vampire life that I knew nothing about.

"Nothing, Bella," Edward answered hurriedly, glaring at Emmett.

"Edward, I think I have a right to know," I protested, groaning as another family entered the restaurant. "I'm gonna take this table, Edward, but now it's your turn to make me a promise. I want you to explain this Volturi thing to me."

"Tonight," he promised, kissing my forehead lightly.

"Good luck, Buddy," I heard Emmett say, patting Edward on the back.

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EDWARD

I couldn't hate Emmett entirely. He's my brother, in a way. I did, however, want to rip him apart and bury the pieces. Let him have the time of his life reassembling himself. What was he thinking, mentioning the Volturi? He knew how curious Bella was!

"Wait for me upstairs," she ordered, kissing my cheek lightly before stepping out of my car. I nodded, deciding that I'd better hurry and get the Volvo home. I turned around swiftly and began the descent down the narrow road to our family's mansion. Forks was turning out to be fairly dramatic.

But I couldn't blame Bella for wanting to know more about me. I would blame her if she ran screaming in terror when I'd first told her, but she was so set in her ways. Then, I couldn't blame her for that, either. She was just… Bella. the Bella that I loved.

It was true. I was three hundred percent sure that I loved Bella Swan. But out of all the things I'd confessed to her, I was almost positive that this would be the one to scare her away. I'd wait to tell her until she was ready. That was my resolve.

"Hi, Edward, going to visit Bella?" Esme inquired sweetly as I all but knocked the front door off its hinges.

"Yeah," I answered, a bit less enthusiastically. "I'll be back in the morning."

"Something bothering you, Edward?" she asked knowingly. I sighed. Telling Esme was my best bet. I knew that Carlisle was biased, and Emmett would probably tell me that she needed to know.

"Well… Emmett sort of mentioned the… the Volturi at work today… and I promised Bella I'd tell her what that meant… but…"

"Having second thoughts?" I nodded. "Do you want Bella to know, Edward?"

"Yes, I think so. I mean… I want her to know… but I don't want her to be afraid…"

"Tell her. It's the best way. I'm sure you can make her feel safe," she told me. I sighed again, hugging her.

"Thanks, Esme. That really helped. Well, I guess I'd better get back to Bella… She-"

I was cut off mid sentence by the familiar ring tone, the one I'd assigned to Bella's contact. Why would Bella be calling me… unless it was an emergency? I pulled out my phone and quickly flipped it open, waving goodbye to Esme as I pulled the door shut behind me.

"Bella?" I answered on the first ring.

"E-Edward," she coughed, sobbing gently. "I'm sorry… I didn't mean to… to…"

"Forget it, Bella," I said softly. "What's wrong?"

"I… I'll tell you… I need you to…"

"I'll be right there," I said, hanging up the phone and sprinting, faster than I ever had, back to her.

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BELLA

"What is it, Bella?" Edward inquired, slipping gracefully through the open window.

"It's Charlie," I whispered, burying my tearstained face in his chest.

"What about him?" he asked, rubbing soothing circles on my back with his thumb.

"He-he…"

**FLASHBACK (About twenty minutes ago)…**

"_Bella, is that you?" Charlie shouted, never moving from his seat on the couch._

"_Yeah, Dad." I rolled my eyes. "Were you expecting someone else?"_

"_I wouldn't get smart with me right now," he seethed, finally getting up to face me. "Not after what I just heard."_

"_W-w-what did you just hear? And… from whom?" I asked, hoping against hope that it wasn't what I was expecting. _

"_I heard about your new boyfriend, Bella!" he yelled, gripping my shoulders._

"_W-what new… b-b-b-boyfriend?" I covered. "I don't know what you're talking ab-bout."_

"_That employee, the one we hired, he's your boyfriend, is he not?" he inquired, shaking me violently._

"_Yes, Dad!" I was sobbing, relieved that he only knew of part of Edward. "I-I'm sorry… I meant to tell you I just…"_

"_Get to bed, Bella," he commanded with such finality that I fell back a few steps. "I'll deal with you in the morning," he said, smashing his bottle into the wall behind me. I flinched and ran up the stairs faster than I'd ever thought possible._

"He threw a glass bottle at you?" Edward asked incredulously.

"The bottle missed, Edward," I reminded him, crying a little quieter now. "The scary thing was it was exactly like my dream."

He stroked my back again, tucking the black-and-white striped afghan around my back as he lay in the bed gently. "What can I do to help, Bells?"

"Sing to me?" I asked hopefully. He nodded, kissing my hair.

**Take a breath  
I pull myself together  
Just another step until I reach the door  
You'll never know the way it  
tears me up inside to see you  
I wish that I could tell you something  
and take it all away**

He was singing just above a whisper, but the melody flooded my ears as he crashed into the chorus, and eventually, I the tears stopped flowing.

**Sometimes I wish I could save you  
And there's so many things  
that I want you to know  
I won't give up till it's over  
If it takes you forever I want you to know**

The second verse was even more soothing, the lyrics whistling through my ears and settling in my heart.

**When I hear your voice  
It's drowning into whispers  
You're just skin and bones  
There's nothing left to take  
No matter what I do I  
can't make you feel better  
If only I could find the answer  
To help me understand**

This time he began the chorus a bit louder, with more determination, but still equally as sweet and soothing as the first.

**  
Sometimes I wish I could save you  
And there's so many things  
that I want you to know  
I won't give up till it's over  
If it takes you forever I want you to know**

The bridge of the song was my favorite part. The words were synchronous, symbolic of our strong relationship. They were a promise I would not soon forget.

**That if you fall, stumble down  
I'll pick you up off the ground  
If you lose faith in you  
I'll give you strength to pull through  
Tell me you won't give up cause  
I'll be waiting if you fall  
Oh you know I'll be there for you**

If only I could find the answer  
To take it all away

I was in tears again when he finished with the final chorus, but I assured Edward that it was only because the song was so beautiful.

**Sometimes I wish I could save you  
And there's so many things  
that I want you to know  
I wont give up till it's over  
If it takes you forever I want you to know  
I wish I could save you  
I want you to know  
I wish I could save you **

I smiled to myself, locking the memory of my personal serenade in my mind and throwing away the key. "Edward?" I mumbled, my consciousness dwindling.

"Yes, Bella?"

"I haven't… for-forgotten about the Volturi," I warned drowsily.

He chuckled. "Tomorrow, Bella, tomorrow."

I nodded. "Okay. Night night."

And then, I could have sworn he whispered, "Goodnight, my love."

**A/N: Okay, you have to let me know what you think about this chapter! I think it was a bit overdone… The good news is, this is officially the longest chapter in this story so far! Sorry it took me so long to update, but this chapter was fairly difficult to finish. REVIEW!**

**C.J.**


	14. Chapter 14

**A/N: Weeelllllllllllllll, there weren't as many reviews for the last chapter as I wanted per se, but you did review, and since I do have an average of ten reviews per chapter now, I will update. ( : I hope you guys like this chapter. I sort of borrow the chapter title from SPNR. Don't worry; I'll put it back when I'm done with it. A huge thank you to naleyforever2333 for the idea at the beginning of the chapter.**

**Fourteen**

**Kiss Me**

BELLA

"Bella, wake up, Bella," Edward urged, nudging my arm gently.

I opened my resistant eyes slowly to a beautiful room with off-white walls and bookshelves in every corner that were, of course, filled with the classics. An intricate, black stereo jutted out of the east wall, and Debussy's Claire de Lune was playing, soft and sweet, in the background. The steel of the bed's frame was twisted into a hundred little flowers, all flowing into each other in a beautiful display of autumn.

I smiled up at the angelic face that was floating just above mine. "Edward, what am I doing here?" I asked, wiping all of the remaining sleep from my eyes. He was grinning now.

"I didn't mean to startle you, Bells," he began. I shook my head slowly. Anywhere that Edward was felt safe to me. "I brought you here last night. Charlie was… getting out of hand. The things he was thinking of doing…" His blissful, teasing expression was darkened by the thought, his eyes blackening.

"Tell me," I demanded, my mood no better than his. "I want to know what he was thinking."

"Well… that isn't the best idea… and we'll be late for work…" he stalled.

"Edward," I pleaded, my hands on either side of his cool, stone-like face. "I want to know what my father was thinking. And after that I want you to tell me about the Volturi. No more secrets."

He grimaced. "Bella… don't you think we should be getting ready for work. We'll be late…" he warned.

"Edward, I was going to skip work today anyway," I lied. "It's Christmas Eve. Not even Charlie can make me show up today."

"So… just out of curiosity… what were you planning on doing instead of work?" he asked coyly, leaning over to kiss me. I smiled against his eager lips.

"This is good," I said. "But first I want some answers from you, Mr. Cullen," I commanded. He sat up.

"I figured you would," he admitted, pulling me against his chest as he stroked my hair. "But aren't you the least bit worried about what Charlie might do if we both decide not to show up for work on the same day?" I knew from the tone of his voice that he _was_ worried about my possessive father.

"I could be…" I reasoned, speaking more for my own benefit than for his. "But I'm not. I'm sure I'll be extremely scared tonight when I have to go home to him…" I trailed off. It was too hard to imagine the creativity of my dad.

"Bella," he whispered, his face grief-stricken. "I will never leave you alone. You don't have to worry about that."

"I thought you couldn't read my mind," I said, only half-joking. He had taken the words right of my mouth.

He sighed heavily, heaving his shoulders. "Of course I'll tell you, Bella," he surrendered, lying back down. I joined him happily, my head lolling onto his chiseled chest. "I promised, didn't I? But are you sure it's worth missing work?"

"Edward," I breathed, grasping the throw that he had wrapped around my body. "I can't… I mean I'm not… not ready… to face Charlie… today…"

He pressed his cool, smooth lips to the top of my head and hugged me tighter. I snuggled into him, inhaling his sweet scent. He was so wonderful. "Very well," he concurred. "But I need you to know that when you do decide to face your father, I'll be with you if you need me."

"I'll always need you," I whispered matter-of-factly.

He chuckled, changing the subject abruptly. "Which one first?"

"Volturi," I answered simply, guessing what he was referring to.

"Okay…" He took a deep breath. Apparently, the Volturi were very hard to explain. "Not all vampires are vegetarians like we are, Bella," he began, his eyes strained. "The Volturi are the most powerful coven of our kind. They are the largest number-wise, but that is not what has kept them in power thus far. Some of them, like Jane, Aro, and Demetri, have very distinct, very powerful abilities. A run-in with them would mean sure death for any vampire, or even any vampire coven. Do you understand how completely dangerous they are?"

I nodded, checking his eyes for any hint that he was lying to me. He was telling the truth. There were many obvious ways that I could sense when he lied to me. He portrayed none of the symptoms. I shivered. Then it was all true.

"Are you cold?" he asked, concerned, and tucked the blanket and sheet tighter around my body.

I ignored his question. "Tell me about Charlie, now," I said, curling into a fetal position against him. He lifted my head onto his shoulder, stroking my spine soothingly.

"He thought about knocking your door down, after I'd locked him out," he explained. "I didn't want him coming near you, not when you were sleeping. Especially if I couldn't do anything to defend you."

I nodded again, angry tears blurring my vision and blocking my throat. "What… why did he want to… break it down?" I asked, hiccupping softly. Edward kissed my temple.

"He didn't plan much after that," he answered. "All he wanted was to get to you, and to hurt you in whatever way occurred to him. I can't… Bella… I can't…" He was biting his lip, and I imagined that if it were at all possible for a vampire to cry, he would have. "I can't leave you with him anymore… It hurts… it kills me."

"Imagine if you were the one that had to sit through his awful brutality," I laughed darkly. He flinched, running his fingers across my cheekbone and up through my hair.

"Can I tell you something, Isabella?" he wondered. Of course he could. He could tell me anything. Anything at all.

"If you stop calling me that," I said jokingly, holding his gaze as a blush colored my cheeks.

"I love you." My heart stopped. My lungs begged for air. I had to breathe. But no air came to me. My organs screamed, pulsating rapidly as they struggled to keep me alive. I stared at him, my eyes bugging out. I coughed, sputtered, and grasped my throat.

"Bella?!" He was frantic, searching for my pulse. "Not again!" he muttered. "What's wrong, Bella?"

"I… you said that you…" I stuttered, standing up beside him.

"That I love you," he repeated. So it was true. He really loved me. Edward Cullen loved me. It was unbelievable. "Do you need me to take you back to the hospital?"

I shook my head urgently, flinging myself into his arms. He caught me effortlessly, lifting me until our eyes were leveled. "I love you, Edward," I confirmed.

He grinned. "I've been dying to tell you that."

I giggled. "Ditto."

He kissed me. "And to do that."

"Mmm," I replied, pressing my lips to his again. "I'm not finished."

"Neither was I," he chuckled. Lifting my chin with his index finger, he pulled me to him once again. He loved me. I loved him. We were in love. The words were poetic to me, and they meant so much. That a perfectly wonderful creature like Edward could ever be in love with a plain, normal girl like me was nothing short of a miracle.

Edward and Bella.

Bella and Edward.

Edward Cullen.

My own personal miracle.

**A/N: Okay, so this chapter is fairly short, but I thought it was a sweet one. Review and tell me what you think. Then you'll get a new chapter. Lol. Thanks guys. **

**C.J.**


	15. Chapter 15

**A/N: Well… the reviews are coming in pretty steadily now, and I really appreciate it. For that reason, I decided to go ahead and update again. [ = I think I really like this chapter, and I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoy writing it. Chapter title from my third favorite song. First person to guess the artist gets a sneak at the next chapter. **

**Fifteen **

**A Thousand Miles**

BELLA

"Merry Christmas, Love," Edward's words were the first I comprehended that morning, and his cool, soft lips on my cheek were the first thing I felt.

"Mmm," I murmured, straining to open my eyes. "Did you say Christmas?"

He chuckled lightly, taking my wrists in his hands and pulling me into a sitting position gently. "Yes, Bella. It's Christmas."

"You sound surprised about something," I noted, wiping her eyes with my index finger and stifling a persistent yawn. "Did I sleep all day yesterday? What time is it?"

"One question at a time is all I can handle," he grinned. "Yes. I was surprised. I didn't know you could sing. And yes, you slept all day, as soon as you were finished with all of your questions. And it's around four o' clock. Sorry for waking you. I couldn't wait any longer."

"Sing?" I asked incredulously, ignoring the other, less meaningful comments. "I can't."

"You're very wrong, Bella," he shook his head back and forth. "You were singing all night!"

"Wha-what are you talking about, Edward? I don't sing. I never have. My voice is rotten!" I protested feebly.

"You sang to me, Bella. In your sleep. It was quite beautiful, actually. _Because you're everywhere to me. When I close my eyes it's you I see," _he mimicked, playing with the tune I'd apparently used the night before. I knew the song. It was one of my favorites. But that didn't mean I'd been singing in my sleep… did it?

"I… I do know… that song," I admitted. "But I don't think I've ever sang before while I was sleeping… but I wouldn't know if I did. Charlie doesn't check on my in the middle of the night anymore, and he would go into cardiac arrest if Renee tried."

He flinched. "Well… I think you should sing more often," he said, crossing his legs and sitting directly across from me in the messy bed. "Like now, for example."

I laughed out loud. "Do you know how absurd you sound? I tried to sing for my parents when I was a kid. No one's ever asked me _to_ sing. I have, however, received many requests that I never attempt it again."

His face fell at my failed shot at a joke. "That's terrible. How would you know that you're no good if you've never had a real judge? Come on, it's just me. I'll even start with you. I think I know one of your favorite songs."

Since I had known Edward Cullen, I had come to realize that there was no arguing a point with him when he got that determined look in his eyes. He was going to see this through, and I had no doubt about that. "Fine. Just a chorus or two. What song did you have in mind?"

He held up a finger to me and cleared his throat productively before beginning to sing in his sweet, lulling baritone.

**Making my way downtown  
Walking fast  
Faces pass  
And I'm home bound**

He motioned for me to join him, and I took a deep breath before bursting into my cracked alto nervously.

**Staring blankly ahead  
Just making my way  
Making a way  
Through the crowd…**

He fell out without warning, but, taking a leap of faith, I carried the rest of the verse a bit more confidently.

**And I need you  
And I miss you  
And now I wonder....**

He stood up abruptly, pulling me up behind me as we began the chorus together.

**If I could fall  
Into the sky  
Do you think time  
Would pass me by  
'Cause you know I'd walk  
A thousand miles  
If I could  
Just see you  
Tonight.**

Despite my warning earlier about only singing a few sections, we continued flawlessly, dancing around the room, singing so loud that I was surprised no one heard the two of us.

**If I could fall  
Into the sky  
Do you think time  
Would pass me by  
'Cause you know I'd walk  
A thousand miles  
If I could  
Just see you  
Tonight.**

The bridge into the ending had to be the most difficult, trickiest part. I should have been worried about messing up, getting off track, but spinning around in Edward's arms took all of my attention; I had no time to focus on my hyperactive nerves.

**And I, I  
Don't want to let you know  
I, I  
Drown in your memory  
I, I  
Don't want to let this go  
I, I  
Don't....**

We skipped the entire final chorus, deciding, instead, to sing the ending words, the most meaningful and romantic part of the song.

**If I could  
Just see you  
If I could  
Just hold you  
Tonight.**

He dropped out on the last word, and I held it indefinitely, pulling him into an impromptu kiss without so much as a quick breath. He was grinning from ear to ear now. "I told you your voice was exquisite."

"Well, I don't know if I agree with that, but I do believe that singing with you has been the most enjoyable experience of my entire life," I nodded. He kissed my forehead.

"Same here. You're very feisty when you want to be, Bella Swan."

I smiled at the offhanded compliment. No one had ever referred to me as feisty before, and it meant that much more coming from the love of my life.

"Now it's time for Christmas presents," he insisted, grabbing my hand.

"No," I said automatically, withdrawing my hand. "I… you shouldn't have gotten me anything."

"Come on, Bella! I couldn't help myself!" he argued. I shook my head fervently.

"But I…" I scrambled for an acceptable excuse. "I didn't get you anything!"

"And I couldn't care less," he smiled, dragging me out of the bedroom. "Come on, love, it would be rude not to accept my gift. I've already bought it."

I rolled my eyes and followed him down the winding staircase, my soft heels padding softly against the carpeted floor. As soon as I saw the rest of the Cullens, I immediately felt out of place. There was the short, pixie-like girl that Edward had called Alice, her curly-haired mate Jasper, the tall, blonde beauty, whom I knew to be Rosalie, her short-haired, muscular mate (whom I had already become acquainted with, of course), and the "foster parents" Esme and Carlisle.

"I thought Emmett said that he and Rosalie were separated," I whispered sedately into Edward's ear. All eyes were on me now as we descended down the staircase, hands adjoined.

"That's just our cover story for the Volturi. We wouldn't want them coming after her. Especially not now, when she's so vulnerable. Emmett's a bit too protective when it comes to her…" he paused, glancing at me. "but I can't say I blame him." I wanted to know why a strong, independent vampire such as Rosalie was suddenly vulnerable, but I didn't press the issue. I'd ask him later.

I shook hands with the vampires I did not know, and hugged the ones that I did. They all whispered a chaste "Merry Christmas, Bella!" to me, and my improper attire went seemingly unnoticed.

"Okay, everyone, have a seat around the tree," Esme ordered expertly, taking her seat next to Carlisle on the soft, white couch. Edward sat in an arm chair and patted his lap. I curled into him discreetly. Emmett and Rosalie seated themselves across the room from us in a double-seated love chair. Alice and Jasper, the bubblier of the two couples, sat on the couch opposite us.

"You're going to love what I got you, Bella. I promise."

Somehow I doubted that was a promise he could keep.

**A/N: Okay, so the first song in this chapter was Everywhere by Michelle Branch (the one that Bella sang in her sleep.) The one Bella and Edward sang together is, obviously, called a Thousand Miles, but you have to guess who the artist is. First one to get in right gets a peek at the next chapter first! I also wanted to tell you that real people sing in their sleep. I actually got this from a real instance. I sang this song in my sleep last night, and my little sister woke me up and told me that she couldn't sleep. lol. REVIEW!!**

**C.J.**


	16. Chapter 16

**A/N: Well, it's been a while hasn't it? haha. Sorry it took me so long to update this chapter, guys. I got… lazy… but I promise the next one will be faster. Chapter title borrowed from the beautiful Miss Hayley Williams.**

**Sixteen**

**Misery Business**

BELLA

I couldn't help it. It was embarrassing behavior, yes, and I would live to regret it for sure, but I couldn't help gawking at Edward's gift. I'd been out with guys before Mike, even thought I was in love with a few of them, but that felt like a world away when I saw what was inside of that little ivory box. How could I have ever loved before Edward? He was so indescribably perfect that I couldn't even do him justice.

"Well, are you going to put it on her, Eddie?" Emmett interrupted the awkward silence, being his usual oblivious self.

"Shut up, Emmett!" Alice shouted, smacking her adopted brother lightly on the arm. At least, I think she meant it lightly, but the sound was like a brick hitting a solid boulder. I flinched.

Edward didn't seem embarrassed at all. In fact, his eyes were glowing with a boisterous emotion that I couldn't quite put my finger on as he slid the blue topaz ring onto my right ring finger. Apparently, the happiness was contagious, because as soon as the cool platinum rested on my finger, a grin spread across my face. I didn't care who saw us anymore, or what they thought.

I grabbed Edward's face between my two hands and kissed him with a passion that I didn't know I had in me until that moment. But then, it made perfect sense that Edward would be the one to bring that side out in me. He was, after all, the love of my life. Anyone with eyes could see that.

Without any surprise in his motion, he held me tighter to his chest and kissed me back. Emmett whistled. I couldn't have cared less. I was sitting in his lap, kissing him, and he was kissing me back. The most wonderful, talented, caring, perfect, beautiful vampire in existence was kissing me. And he loved me. It was all too much to take in at once.

As always, I broke apart first. Edward didn't need to breathe, of course, but that didn't mean that I could forget all of my vital organs. He chuckled, pecking me on the cheek quickly once more. I glanced around the room, offering each of my boyfriend's family members a thankful smile before my eyes rested on the topaz-and-diamond beauty once again.

I thought of Mike and was suddenly angry. When had he ever given me a Christmas gift? Remembered the date of our anniversary? Told me happy birthday? But Mike was nothing in comparison to Edward, anyway. Why should he remember all of those unimportant things?

Oh no. They were coming. The tears. I felt them welling up in my eyes before I realized that they were there. It was such a natural feeling to me now. Tears no longer felt foreign as they slipped incongruously down my cheeks.

Edward's elated expression was gone as quickly as it had appeared, and he was suddenly kissing the wet parts of my cheeks. "What's the matter, love?" he whispered; the others had already begun opening their presents from one another. It was their own way of giving Edward and me some privacy, and I felt forever indebted.

"I-I'm sorry… it's just…" I stammered. He shook his head, a smile coloring his face, though it never quite touched his eyes.

"Don't be sorry. I only want to make you feel better, Bella. What is it that's made you so remorseful?" he wondered.

I shrugged pitifully. "Mike, I guess. You two… you're just so different… it almost hurts… I feel so stupid… stayed with him so long…" I was now reduced to mumbling incoherently, shaking my head back and forth against his marble shoulder. He said nothing for a moment, patting my hair and reassuring me in a way that only he could.

"He didn't deserve you, for sure, Bella," he said finally. "No one does. But just because he was so… sick and… abusive… doesn't make _you_ the stupid one."

"No, Edward!" I stood, stalking backward. All eyes in the room were on me. Emmett coughed, his timing off, as always. I couldn't look at him as he stood behind me, reaching out into the space between us, reaching for me.

But I felt slimy. Dirty. I didn't deserve to be loved. I deserved Mike. I had been asking for all of the things that he did to me, and I was asking for the same treatment from Edward. In fact, I'd begun to expect it from him.

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EDWARD

Bella jumped from my lap and sprinted past my family, up the stairs, and into my bedroom. I couldn't be more confused. It was a perfect moment, one that I thought we would remember forever. Our first official Mike-free moment, until she inevitably brought up his name.

"What's gotten into you, love?" I asked, sitting beside her on the floor. She was rocking back and forth in a fetal position, her head in her hands. A twist of pain shot through my stomach like a knife and twisted itself into place. He'd driven her to this. She was so much better than he, yet she felt somehow… deserving of his cruelty.

"I don't deserve this. You… you… you and your family… you're so perfect… so wonderful… I… don't fit… in this… in this… picture… Mike… he knew what I was…" came her muffled reply. I shook my head furiously, pulling her to me. She willingly curled into my lap, resting her face on my chest and she grabbed handfuls of my shirt and sobbed.

"It's so obvious, Bella! You belong here! Here with my family! Here in my arms. _You_ are the only one that doesn't see it. Emmett and… and Alice, she already loves you! We want you. We need you. I need you."

"How could you need me when he told me night after night that he only kept me around for show? That I was lucky to have found him, because who else would take me? That I was useless to anyone except for him, so I'd better not try to find someone else?" she whispered sourly, looking at the carpet, her legs crossed.

I slipped my finger under her downcast chin and lifted her eyes until the agony pierced through my own. "Listen to me, Isabella Swan. You are perfect. I have been alive for almost a century, but it wasn't until I met you that my life began. Mike Newton aside, you deserve much more than anyone on this earth can give you. You've proven yourself self-sacrificing and gentle, yet you don't see these things as I do. I love you, Bella. I only wish I had more to give."

She smiled slowly, throwing her arms around my neck in an embrace. I was smiling too, of course. She was happy. That was all I could ask for.

"I love you, too, Edward," she muttered into my shoulder. "You're my whole world, you know that?"

"Still wish I could do more," I admitted, kissing her hair.

"What more could you possibly do? You've given me everything and never asked for anything in return. I'm the one that should be giving more. I'm just so… lost… and, to be honest, Mike still scares me… infinitesimally."

I stroked her back, pulling her closer to me, if that was at all possible. "You don't have to be scared of him, Bella. I will never let him hurt you again," I vowed.

"But that's such a burden for me to ask you to bear!" she exclaimed, and I feared she was close to tears again.

"You don't have to ask. I'm doing it for you and for me. I love you, remember?"

Fortunately, she smiled again. "I love you, Edward."

"And I think it's pretty obvious that I love you," I chided, kissing her nose. She returned the favor, surprising me with an impromptu kiss on the lips.

I hugged her gently, careful not to crush her fragile arms. She felt so small in my arms, so undefined, so minute, yet so big. She was finally putting up a fight for her independence from Mike.

Then came a dreadful sound that could only be compared to long, jagged fingernails scratching at the surface of a chalkboard at a time like this. Bella cringed into me, and I tightened my arms around her reassuringly. She wouldn't be hurt again. Not if I had anything to do with it.

Her throat constricted, her cool hands were suddenly clammy, and she choked remorsefully. Angry tears boiled in her eyes once again. I caressed any part of her face that I could find, whispered useless things like "It's going to be okay, love" and "Don't cry. We'll figure something out".

I knew they were lies as soon as I thought them. But those three vile, despicable words that had been spoken contradicted everything she and I had been discussing, and confirmed our greatest fears.

"Mike's here, Edward!" Emmett's base echoed through the staircase. Great. Mike.

**A/N: Okay, the reason this chapter is so short is because it's been over a month since I updated, and that is just way too long. Thanks for being patient. **

**C.J.**


	17. Chapter 17

**A/N: I know it's taking a while… I'm sorry. This chapter DOES have a song that goes with it. It's by Superchick, and the actual name of the song is the chapter title. **

**Seventeen **

**Stand in the Rain**

EDWARD

Why now? She was doing so well! Bella had finally come to terms with the fact that Mike was a part of her past that could not be erased, and she was doing surprisingly well with that realization. And now this.

Bella cringed farther into my chest, if that were at all possible, and I pressed the back of my hand to her face gently. "There's nothing for him to do, Bella. He's outnumbered, and by a house full of vampires, no less."

She nodded, mumbling something incoherent repeatedly.

"Really, Bells, you've nothing to worry about," I assured her. "Emmett, Carlisle, Jasper, Esme, and Alice will stop him before he even thinks about going for you."

"W-what about Rosalie?" she wondered.

Stupid, stupid Edward! Of course she would pick up on that. She was so perceptive. "Rosalie's not feeling well, Bella."

"I'm not a little girl, Edward. You can tell me if something's wrong with my future family members," she teased lightly. I kissed her temple.

"She's just-"

"EDWARD!" Emmett bellowed. "Are you gonna come kick this guy's butt or do you want me to do it for you?"

Bella glanced at me uneasily. "Later?" I asked. I'd been doing a lot of explaining lately.

She inhaled sharply, pulling her right hand to her stomach. "You don't have to do this, Edward. It's not too late to turn back."

I chuckled, another stupid move. "What do you mean, Bella?"

"You could always… give him what he wants," she whispered.

I must have looked confused, because she quickly added, "I mean, you could just let him… have me. That would save everyone a lot of trouble…"

I coughed. "You're joking, right?"

She looked hurt. Great, I'd hurt her again. "Bella, you actually think I'm capable of that? Haven't you been listening to anything I said in the last hour? I _love_ you! I need you. Keeping Mike at bay is such a small price to pay if it means that I get to spend forever with you!"

"It… it is?" she wondered. I smiled.

"Yes, Bella, it is. Now if you don't mind, I think I've got some human butt to kick, according to Emmett, anyway."

She giggled softly and started to stand as I did. "Oooohhhh, no," I objected. "You're staying right here. This won't take more than… two or three minutes, love."

"No way," she argued. "If you're going, I'm going."

"You're going to make me explain myself, aren't you?"

"If you must."

"I don't want you to see this, Bella. I don't want to… scare you… anymore than you've already experienced."

"I don't scare easily."

"We both know that's a lie."

"You're right. But I love you. You've got to trust that nothing's more powerful than that. If you don't let me do this, I might be forced to jump out of the window and into that truck down there to wait for Mike," she threatened.

"EDWARD!" Emmett called.

"And I'd choose fast. Emmett's not going to wait forever."

I rolled my eyes and secured my arm around her waist. "Fine. But when we get down there, you stand back. Don't take lightly the fact that you're the only other human in there."

"Right."

"And Bella?"

"Yes?"

"I love you, too."

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BELLA

I knew that face. Edward was trying to talk me out of joining him with Mike so close. I also knew that he wasn't really afraid of Mike winning. Three to one aren't very good odds anyway, and the three that were on my side were supernaturally enhanced.

Edward was, however, afraid of himself. That's right, he wasn't worried about my sadistic ex-boyfriend, because after the Cullen boys were done with him, Mike wouldn't even remember why he was here. But he couldn't say the same about himself.

He had been pushing the limits of his self-control with me, as it were, for as long as we'd been dating. That's what he was thinking. That if he, or anyone else, was stupid enough to bite Mike, they wouldn't be able to help coming after me. I trusted him, he just didn't trust himself.

I took his hand as we approached the last set of stairs. "Edward," I said softly. He looked up at me like a prisoner inching toward his execution.

"Yes, love?"

"You know you don't have to worry so much about it."

"About what?" I knew that he knew what I was talking about. He was stalling. He hoped that if I waited long enough to think about it, I would come to the logical conclusion and turn back around. Well, he was wrong.

"About me. About you being in control. I know you can do it," I told him.

He looked down. "What makes you think I'm worried about that?" he asked the carpeted stairs.

"It's not too hard to guess."

He smiled sadly at me. I took his cool face between my two hands, standing on tiptoe to kiss him. He sighed and wound his arms around my body, holding me to him. I wasn't complaining about that.

"I'll always worry about you," he admitted.

"Why?"

"For the same reason that I'll never let Mike get his hands on you again."

"Because you love me?" I offered.

He smiled, for real this time. "Well maybe it's not that hard to guess."

"No. Especially since you can't seem to stop reminding me of it," I laughed.

"And do you know why that is?" he asked. I shook my head.

"I should think it would be 'easy to guess'," he mimicked. I slapped his arm playfully, careful not to pull it back and rub the sore palm. That would only cause Edward more pain.

"Well it isn't."

"Because it's true."

"Hmph. I could have guessed that," I stomped my food juvenilely. He kissed me again. And again, no complaints.

"We should go now," he reminded me, breaking the kiss. I groaned.

"One more?" I pleaded, attempting a puppy-dog expression.

He grinned and wound his fingers through my curly mass of hair, touching his lips to mine again. Even though he was almost unbearably cold, my scalp and lips burned from his touch. He molded our bodies together and stroked the length of my arms, leaving a trail of wildfire, before breaking apart.

"Uhh, now we can go," I said dizzily. He held my hand.

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EDWARD

I could hate myself for being weak and succumbing to Bella's kiss later. For now all that I cared about was her happiness. And Mike's demise, of course. I'd let him escape once unscathed. This was the final straw.

"Umm, Edward, we have a problem," Emmett informed me as soon as Bella and I rounded the corner.

"What do you mean, 'a problem'?" I spat, my voice a bit more venomous than intended.

"It isn't Emmett's fault!" Rosalie sputtered, coughing violently. Emmett patted her back.

"Yes it is."

"Will someone please just tell me what's happened?!" I shouted. Mike was grinning, which was, admittedly, not the reaction I'd expected.

No one said anything. They didn't have to. Mike held his hand out, revealing a hideous, reddish-purple mark in the shape of a semi-circle.

"YOU BIT HIM?" I roared, facing Emmett again.

"I bet you know what that means, Pretty Boy," Mike finally spoke.

Bella fainted.

**A/N: Thanks a million times to ****-Azn-Grl-Twilight-Fan-**** for the idea for this chapter!!**

**REVIEW, REVIEW, REVIEW, and then REVIIIEEWW!!!**

**C.J.**


	18. Chapter 18

**A/N: Okay, some of you were bringing up exactly what I was thinking you would say (about it taking a while for Mike to change into a vampire.) Well this chapter should explain it. Chapter title from a Superchick song.**

**Eighteen**

**We Live, We Love**

BELLA

My head was spinning. My vision was blurred, but I thought I could make out a person standing in front of me, waving their hands in the air and jumping up and down with joy- or was it pain? He- yes, it was a he- was holding his hands over his stomach and, it seemed, crying invisible tears. He choked back another sob before kissing my forehead cautiously. So that was what it looked like for a vampire to cry.

"Edward," I mumbled.

He grinned. "Yes, Bella. How do you feel, love?"

"Dizzy," I admitted, taking his large, cool hand in my insignificant, clammy one.

"You had quite a… fall," he told me, his brow furrowed worriedly.

"And… and Mike?"

His expression fell automatically when I said his name. He'd hoped I would forget.

"In the next room," he muttered angrily.

"He-he's _here_? In the hospital?" I spluttered.

Edward nodded solemnly, releasing my hand. "Don't worry. He's sedated. He can't hurt you."

"That's not what I'm worried about, Edward!" I exclaimed, struggling to sit up under the crisp, white hospital sheets.

Edward lunged forward, easing me back down. "Don't try to sit up, Bella. You've been out for nearly three days."

"Th-th-three?" I asked. He nodded again. What kind of answer was that?

"So that means Mike…"

"Is full vampire, yes," he finished knowingly.

"And he's been sitting in a hospital bed throughout this whole transformation?" I spat.

He looked down at me disbelievingly. "You're worried about him? About what they'll do to him if they find out he's a vampire? What if he comes back for you, Bella? What if he tries to kill you? What if you're alone? What if I can't do anything to stop him? He's a newborn vampire, for crying out loud, Bella!"

"You think this is your fault?" I whispered. It was more a revelation than a question. He glanced away from my face, embarrassed.

"I could have made you stay back. I could have told you that it was too dangerous. Instead I gave in. I sat and argued the point with you, and gave Emmett time to make a stupid mistake. Of course it's my fault, Bella. I'll never forgive myself for letting you get hurt when I could have done something about it," he explained.

I shook my head vehemently. "You're wrong."

"Don't try and make me feel better about this, Bella," he pleaded. "You're an easy target for Mike, and I've seen vamps like him before. He won't stop until he gets what he wants, and now he's perfectly capable. Bella, I gave him a chance to kill you."

"It's my fault. I argued with you. Besides, you couldn't have made me stay back if you wanted to."

He rolled his eyes. "Bella, I'm a vampire, in case you hadn't already noticed. You couldn't restrain me if it was all of your strength against the force of my little finger."

"Thanks for reminding me," I scoffed. "What I meant is that you couldn't hurt me. You would have had to force me."

"And I'm weak."

"No, you're just not sadistic. Not like… like… like…" No! Isabella Marie Swan, you will not cry! Do. Not. Cry!

"Don't cry, Bella!" Edward said, stroking my face. "And Carlisle insisted on keeping the punk under his supervision at all times, which 'of course involves bringing him into my own hospital, Edward'," he said mockingly.

"That's smart, at least."

"Smart?" he said. "You're in immediate danger without him being in the next room. Granted that he's been writhing in pain for the past few days, but that will be over soon. Then thirst will take over. And he'll kill you. He'll kill you, and I won't be able to do a thing about it."

"I'm not worried about him killing me," I assured him.

"What am I supposed to do without you, Bella?" he whispered.

"You'd be fine without me," I said firmly. "But that's not what I mean. I believe in you, Edward. Everyone gives you credit except for yourself. I know that you wouldn't let Mike hurt me."

"You overestimate my ability. Just because I am stronger than human Mike does not mean I can defeat Newborn Vampire Mike."

"That's not what I meant, either. You said that you love me… and if that's true, well, isn't love the most powerful thing?" How cliché did _that_ sound?

"_If_ that's true? Honestly, Bella? You still don't believe that I love you?"

"Not the point. Love drives people to do… things. I guess I'll just have to believe that you do love me… or risk it. Because if you don't…"

"If I don't what?"

"Then… no one does. No one loves me, and I haven't got any reason to live," I rambled.

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EDWARD

The pained expression in Bella's eyes when she said that was enough to make me wish I could cry. I reached out to cup a hand around her cheek, and she held it to her face.

"I do love you, Bella. And I will do whatever it takes to make you safe," I vowed.

"Thank you, Edward."

Ha, she thought I had a choice. I did love her, more than my own life, and because I had allowed myself to love her so much, I had to forgo the possibility of leaving her. Sure, I could bluff. I would tell her that if she did not start taking better care of herself that I would leave her alone, that she didn't need me anyway. But I myself did not believe in the least that I had the selflessness to do that.

"You're welcome, love."

"What are you doing with my daughter?" Not now. Anytime but now.

Bella flinched. I pulled my hand away quickly.

"Dad," she whispered.

"That's right, Bells. Get up. I'm taking you home," he commanded. She looked terrified. I briefly considered strangling him, tossing him through the door, and discombobulating, none of which seemed extreme to me. He was hurting my love. But they definitely weren't smart moves, and weird as it was, I knew it would make Bella unhappy.

"Charlie," I nodded at him, never moving from Bella's side. He ignored me.

"You heard me, Isabella! I said 'Get. Up. Now!'"

She shifted under the covers, and I placed my hand reassuringly on her forearm. She almost smiled at me.

"No," she rejected him. I must have been glowing with pride.

"What was that?" he snapped.

"I believe she said that, no, she wouldn't come with you," I said smugly, pulling up a chair beside her.

She rested her head on my shoulder, satisfied.

"Believe it or not, Chief Swan," I continued, caressing Bella's cheek affectionately. "I am capable of watching over Bella."

"I didn't ask whether or not you were capable!" he said, obviously defeated. I smiled at Bella and kissed her forehead. Her lips turned up tiredly as she slid closer to me. We both understood, then. I loved Bella. And I would protect her from anything at any cost. She was grateful. I was glad.

"Well I appreciate that, Chief Swan," I chuckled. Bella's eyes fluttered shut. Good. She needed sleep. "She isn't coming with you. Not today, not ever."

"Boy, I'll tell you what she is and isn't-"

"Chief Swan," Carlisle interrupted, glancing at Bella's sleeping face on my shoulder. He almost smiled, I could tell, but that would have ruined the façade. "I think you should leave. You are disturbing our patients. This is a place of business, and I am afraid that if you will not leave then we will be forced to remove you from the premises."

Charlie took one look at Carlisle, and then at me, and he knew it was over. He couldn't stop us. "I'll be back for my daughter," he promised us, stalking out of the room. I sighed.

"Shouldn't you be with Mike?" I asked.

"I was. But there's no danger. You shouldn't worry, Edward. Bella's fine for now."

"For now? I want her to be fine forever! If I hadn't forced myself onto her in the first place-"

"If you hadn't _come into her life_," he corrected me. "Then Mike would still be beating her on a daily basis." I cringed at that thought. "You didn't see what I saw when I did her check up, Edward. All of the bruises on her back, her neck, under her eyes…"

"Enough!" I told him. "I get it. I saw the bruises, Carlisle. It's too much to handle. She didn't… she never did anything to deserve that!"

"Exactly. And you saved her from him." Bella rustled in my arms, and I glanced at her, worried that she'd wake up. She didn't.

"Did you hear that, Edward?" Carlisle asked suddenly. I shook my head a bit, focusing on my surroundings.

I heard someone yawning, stretching, giving himself an once-over. He thought he must have died. Why had the burning stopped all of a sudden?

"Hmm, speak of the Devil."

**A/N: Like it? Love it? Hate it? I need to know, people. And hopefully this chapter clears up your questions. REVIEW.**

**C.J.**

**P.S. REVIEW!!!**


	19. Chapter 19

**A/N: Again, thanks for all of the fabulous reviews. They're truly humbling. The chapter title for this part is borrowed from my absolute favorite song/band EVER. Listen to it. Now. Haha. ((It's Paramore))**

**Nineteen**

**For a Pessimist, I'm Pretty Optimistic**

BELLA

I opened my eyes a fraction of the way before I noticed that two people were arguing in front of me. Edward and Carlisle.

"You've got to keep him away, Carlisle," Edward was pleading.

"You know I'll do what I can, Edward," Carlisle promised, grabbing his lab coat and shuffling out of the crowded cubicle.

"What are you talking about, Edward?" I asked. He jumped.

"Nothing, love," he replied. "Erm… how much did you hear?"

"All of it," I said sarcastically, rolling my eyes. "Now tell me what's going on."

"Mike's woken up," he finally answered my question, averting his bitter gaze. "I told Carlisle that keeping him here was a stupid idea."

"He-he's awake?" I said, unable to hide the fear in my voice. Edward didn't answer. He just looked at me painfully, his eyes glistening. I knew he hoped there was something else he could do.

"This _is_ all my fault," he muttered.

"I think we already had this discussion, Mr. Cullen," I reminded him. "And Carlisle told you, too." He gasped. "Yes, Edward, I heard. About Mike, about me, about the… the… bruises and him… beating... me."

"I'm so sorry, Bells," he whispered, his face paler than usual. "I… we didn't…"

"I know."

"I can't even begin to understand," he admitted. "I told Carlisle that I had, but the only… umm… bruises that I've ever seen are the ones…" He trailed off, lifting my arm and caressing the purplish marks that were scattered along its surface gently.

"Would you like to see the extent of my injuries, then, Doctor?" What was I saying? I couldn't. It would hurt him too much. But even though he didn't say it, I knew what he was thinking. How was it fair that Carlisle, his foster father, got to see what had happened to me and he, my own soul mate, did not.

He closed his eyes tightly, and I knew he was listening into the next room. "Mike won't be up for about an hour. He's taking it slow," he told me, avoiding the subject.

"Edward," I said, cupping his face in my hands. "It's okay." He nodded solemnly.

"All right then."

"Well, you've obviously noticed the, er, more visible ones," I began. "Like… under my eyes."

He nodded again, a pained expression coloring his features. I lowered the neckline and revealed the darker, larger bruises on my neck. He winced. "These are more recent," I explained.

"What did he do? I mean… how…?"

"Can you handle the truth?" I teased lightly. He nodded once again, not getting my joke. "He tried to choke me."

He coughed, surprised, and pulled me into his arms. "I'm so sorry," he mumbled over and over again.

"Ow, Edward, my back." I slid away from him, instantly missing the feeling of his arms around my hot body. "Which brings us to the last set of damage."

"You don't have to," he said.

"No, but I want to," I assured him. I turned my back to him and covered my legs with the crisp, cotton sheet. He sat down at the foot of the bed, directly behind me. Discreetly, I lifted the awful, green hospital gown to reveal what I knew were huge, yellowing bruises. He stroked them agonizingly with the tips of his fingers. And then I let it fall back.

"Oh, Bella," was all he could say.

"That was from all of the times he pushed me down the stairs, or into the stair rail," I relived. What was I doing? Did I _want_ to kill Edward with all of these melancholy stories?

"Let's go," he said firmly, once I'd turned back to face him.

"What do you mean?" I wondered.

"Mike's changed his mind. He knows now that he can fight me off if he applies all of his strength. But I know something he doesn't know: he won't be able to apply all of his strength with your scent distracting him. I won't let him get near you again. We need to go," he ordered.

"But where will we go?" I asked. He must have overlooked some important details in his impromptu plan.

"Back to my house first. We'll get you a change of clothes, but you can't get dressed there; that's the first place he'll look."

"Right. So where will I change?"

"I'll take you somewhere in Canada… a convenient store of something," he rambled.

"CANADA?" I shouted.

"Shh, don't yell, love! You'll give us away."

"You're joking, right? I can't move to CANADA!" I said, only a bit softer.

"Not move there," he corrected. "Just stay in a hotel until Emmett calls and tells me that Mike has killed himself or that another clan has decided that he's just too dangerous and exposes him to the light. Then the Volturi will kill him. Worst scenario, I'll come back and kill him myself, but you are _not_ coming this time."

Before I had time to protest, he had my bag packed and had lifted me into his arms effortlessly. "What about my IV?" I reminded him.

"Oh. Right."

"Just rip it out," I commanded, closing my eyes and waiting for the pain to set in.

"You're not serious," Edward said. I opened my eyes to see that he hadn't moved even an inch closer to the pole.

"Fine. Then I'll do it," I resolved, yanking the needle out of my wrist.

"Are you insane?"

"Probably a little," I admitted sheepishly, resisting the urge to rub my sore, bleeding arm. He ran to the Medical Supplies cabinet and removed a role of bandage, which he expertly wrapped around my arm and fastened tightly.

"Now let's get out of here,"

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EDWARD

"Going somewhere, Eddie?" A sneer behind us. I'd know that voice anywhere. I gritted my teeth.

"Get behind me, Bella," I said.

She whimpered softly, but stepped out of my arms and obeyed. She stood behind me at an angle, and, without looking, I pulled her straight into my back. "Stay close."

"Mmmhmm," she mumbled, her voice and body shaking with fear. But she obliged, clinging to my gray T-shirt for dear life.

"It's going to be all right," I promised her quietly, and then turned back to him.

"I really appreciate these new abilities that your brother has provided me with," he said, moving closer to Bella and me with each word. "And Carlisle's great, too. He just stepped out of the room when I asked for some water. Just like that." He snapped his fingers for effect.

"What was he thinking?" I garbled.

"I'm not sure," Mike agreed, lunging for Bella now that he was close enough. I blocked his path smoothly, making a break for the door.

Mike chuckled and grabbed Bella's wrist. He yanked her forward with so much force that she fell on her knees in front of him.

"Now that looks about right, Miss Swan," he laughed. I growled. Bella whimpered again, trying feebly to stand up and run. He was, of course, too fast. Before she could think, he had her cornered, his arms locking her against the wall. _Ugh. I wanted to play. But I can't resist. Have to bite her. Her blood… it smells so good. _

I grimaced. "No," I seethed, backhanding him. Bella collapsed into me. "Come on, love. We have to go now."

She didn't protest, just jumped back into my arms. I was ready to run to Antarctica if that's what it took.

"BELLA!"

**A/N: Cliff hanger? Maybe? Yeah, I think it's a cliffy. Lol. So if you want the next chapter as fast as this one, you have to review as much as you did for the last one. That was like, amazing. Really, it made my day. So how about you get the next chapter in… six reviews? Yeah, that's about right. Hope you liked it!**

**C.J.**


	20. Chapter 20

**A/N: Thanks for all of the reviews on the last chapter. I think we way superseded the six that I wanted originally, so here is that chapter that I promised you. Chapter title borrowed from a song that I absolutely love with all of my heart by Train. I recommend listening to it, as I always do.**

**Twenty**

**Drops of Jupiter**

BELLA

My head was spinning, yet I was not dizzy. I knew I was bleeding profusely, but I felt none of the pain that should have been inevitable. All I felt was the insane sensation that my body was floating on a cloud, slowly breaking in half.

I was reminded of the sinking of the "unsinkable ship", the _Titanic. _Hadn't they, too, promised the unknowing passengers that they would be safe from harm? Yet the huge mass of iron had failed to stand up to their ridiculous standards. The men, the ship's designers, were hardly at fault for the little mishap, as Edward was hardly to blame for this. This was purely the work of Mike, the iceberg.

And just as Rose Bukater and Jack Dawson refused to let the spark of their undying love die with Jack's freezing body, Edward and I would always have our unusual relationship, whether I died in the hospital room, at Mike's hand, or not.

"Ed-ward," I whimpered pathetically. He was dabbing at my face with a wet rag, the expression on his face unreadable.

"You're all right, Love," was all he offered as an answer, and that was all I would ask for. Painful as the venom was—I assumed that Mike had bitten me sometime during the four or five seconds that Edward had put his guard down—Edward seemed to be taking this much worse than I was.

"I know, Edward," I said, comforting him. "I feel fine." What a lie. The coarse liquid was splashing through my veins rapidly, reaching every corner of my body, tearing through it like a battering ram through a door. It was almost too much for me to bear. But for Edward, I would.

"I love you, Bella," he choked, stroking my face.

"You too."

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EDWARD

Bella writhed, kicking her feet and biting down on her tongue. She was trying not to scream, but it would have been better for her to just get it out. She didn't want to hurt _me, _when she was the one that had three or four medications running through her body. She had to.

She probably thought that it was venom tearing her body apart. I almost wished it was. Not even the morphine could take away the pain of the drugs Carlisle had injected in order to insure that the venom _didn't_ spread and complete the change. I wouldn't make her a monster like me, and Carlisle wouldn't do anything against my wishes.

Suddenly, she opened her eyes wide. I half-smiled and kissed her forehead. "Feeling better, sweetheart?" I asked her sweetly.

"Mmm-hmm," she nodded. "Where is Mike?"

"Carlisle called Emmett and Jasper to… erm… take care of him. They should be about to the clearing by now."

"That isn't very far," she noted. I gulped. She was starting to find new pieces of the puzzle. Pretty soon she'd have me figured out.

"No, it isn't."

"Especially not for a vampire," she continued. Not good.

"No, I guess not."

"So that must mean it hasn't been three days yet." I had to give her credit. She was incredibly smart.

"No, not even close."

"And that means that… that stuff that was burning in me… that wasn't Mike's venom," she concluded. "And I'm not a vampire."

"No," I was reduced to a whisper. She looked disappointed. I cupped her chin and kissed her fragile little lips. She smiled against my cheek. "Why so happy?"

"You _do_ love me," she said simply. I stared at her, dumbfounded. Was she serious?

"Of course I love you, Bella," I resisted the urge to shout. How could she not have known by now that I loved her? I practically held on to her every word. She was the most important part of my life.

"You have to know that's it's almost unbelievable. I still can't imagine that you love me as much as I love you," she mumbled.

I kissed her, chuckling lightly. "I've told you before, and I'll say it again. You've got it backwards, love."

"Edward," Carlisle panted, bursting through the door. He looked out of breath, which wasn't entirely… possible.

"What's wrong?" I asked, sensing his overwhelming concern. _He's gone, Edward. _"What are you talking about?" My voice wavered and threatened to give away my blistering anger.

"_Technically _he isn't saying anything," Bella pointed out, laughing at her little joke. I growled. How could she be giggling at a time like this? When she could be in danger of dying. She curled into her pillow, bringing the sheet closer to her body. "I'm sorry, Edward. I was just…"

"It's not your fault, love," I quickly recovered, careful not to offend her.

"It's not okay," she whispered hoarsely.

"What's not okay? Are you hurting, Bella? Can I get you something?" I babbled, almost completely forgetting about Carlisle's news. She snatched her arm away when I reached for her.

"No, I'm not hurting. That's the point. Just because I'm the human, you all treat me like a paperweight. I'm endangering the people I love most of all, the only ones that love me. Why don't you just let me fend for myself?" she fought, her chocolate eyes glistening with unshed tears.

"Bella," I mouthed, wracking my brain for words.

"And that's another thing! Any normal person would hate me by now. I've been a jerk! I _am _everything Mike's told me before. But you won't even yell at me, Edward! You won't even let yourself correct me, or put me in my place, because you're so busy making sure that the human's fragile nerves don't break. What you all can't see is that… I'm already broken. He broke me time after time. He killed me a little more every time he came home and told me that I was his, and that I shouldn't try and meet other people. That he loved me, and he only wanted what was best for me." She was sobbing. Her small, hunched frame shaking violently. I heard the _whoosh _or Carlisle's lab coat caressing the wall as he left us. We'd discuss Mike's whereabouts later. This was more important now.

"I wanted to be strong for Charlie, Edward," she continued, thrusting her soaked face into my chest. I wrapped my coat around her shoulders. "How pathetic is it that I wanted to be strong for a father that never loved me to begin with? He was the one that said dating Mike would be a good thing. Apparently it would give me respect and other honorable qualities."

My heart ached for her. I wanted more than anything to make her smile right then. She deserved it. "It's not pathetic at all, love. But no one expects you to be as strong as you want to be. He abused you. Even as a human he was… a lot… bigger than you, Bella. There was nothing you could do to stop him while he… he…. And everyone knows it was hard on you."

She nodded against me. I held her tighter. "I couldn't stop him, Edward," she told me softly, her eyes distant, as if she was having flashbacks. "There really wasn't anything for me to do. I tried to get away from him all the time. He could have killed me. I don't know why he didn't, if he hated me so much." I kissed her eyelid gently, smoothing her chestnut bangs away from her round face.

"I love you." It was all I had for her.

**A/N: Okay, sorry, short chapter. I'm having some terrible writer's block. I'm open to suggestions. But don't worry, I have an idea for the next chapter…**


	21. Chapter 21

**A/N: Hey, guys. I know it's been, like, FOREVER since I updated, and I'm really sorry for that. ) : I've just been suffering from some minor writer's block with this story. On a completely different note, you might have noticed that I changed my pen name. I like this one better. ; ) The chapter title rightfully belongs to Linkin Park, whom I believe should have whipped the Jonas Brothers for 'best band' at the KCA's. But don't fret. I'm a huge Nick Jonas fan as well. **

**Twenty-One**

**Leave Out All the Rest**

EDWARD

"You don't have to do this, Bella," I reminded her. Again.

"I know, Edward," she replied, same as all of the other times.

"I mean, we're vampires, for crying out loud!" I was beginning to sound like a broken record. But she wasn't getting my secret meaning. When I said that we could take care of ourselves, I really meant that she _couldn't_. And when I said that she didn't have to do it, I meant that I didn't want her to.

"Edward," she repeated, taking my face in her hands. I stared into her eyes, trying to understand what she could possibly be thinking. "Alice said she saw me confronting Mike. She said that it will solve everything. I don't know exactly how, and neither does she, but I have to do this if I want to get the Cullens out of danger."

I growled subconsciously, throwing my arms around her. "No one expects you to be the hero, Bella. You're the human. _We're _supposed to be the ones looking out for _you_."

She sighed softly into my shoulder. I held her closer. "And anyway," I continued, "I won't put you in that kind of danger, love. You can't just 'confront' Mike. That's ridiculously masochistic."

"Maybe masochism will finally get us somewhere with him," she whispered.

"I don't care. We're not going to do it that way. We'll stick with the original plan. Emmett, Jasper, and I will surprise Mike in the clearing. He won't even see it coming," I pleaded. I felt her small head shaking against my chest.

"That's not what I want, Edward. That's not what will get rid of him once and for all," she said.

"What are you talking about, Bells? The three of us can easily take him on. We'll take him apart and burn the pieces. Easy. And I know you worry about Alice, but she and Rosalie won't even have to go with us," I babbled. She was still shaking her head, but now she was looking back into my eyes, my arms still encircling her, keeping her close to me.

"No," she said in a small voice. "I mean it won't end it for me. I have to do this for me. Let me yell at him a little, tell him that he ruined the better half of my life, and if I had never found you, I'd still be dead. Then you and Emmett can take turns ripping limbs off of his body."

I smiled in spite of myself. "I'm still not happy about you endangering yourself but…"

"But you won't stop me," she finished sternly.

"I won't stop you," I agreed solemnly. "But there are a few conditions I would like to request."

"Such as?" she asked, her tone businesslike. I smoothed the crease between her eyebrows with a kiss before continuing.

"Don't kiss him," I joked. The corners of her mouth twitched upward, but she did not allot me a full smile. "Don't provoke him, and please, in the name of all that is good, _please _refrain from doing anything that could cause blood, Bella."

"Deal." I kissed her lips softly.

"I can't believe I'm letting you do this," I admitted.

She curled into my shoulder once again. "It's one of the things I love about you," she crooned. I almost laughed at her mock, fan girlish affection. She glanced out of one of the many windows in my room and sighed. "Let's do this."

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BELLA

"Fine, Emmett," Edward growled into the phone's receiver. I looked up at him as he snapped it shut.

"What is it?" I asked stupidly, frustrated that I was the only one who didn't know what was going on, just like always.

"Complication," he answered simply. I suppressed a groan. He was in pain enough already.

"What kind of complication?" I prodded gently. His knuckles turned bone-white as he tightened his grip on his unlucky victim, the steering wheel.

"Mike decided to stop for a… snack," he supplied. I did groan at this.

"I'll be happy when he's dead and gone," I muttered, turning my face out the window. I caught a glimpse of his crooked smile out of the corner of my eye, and he took my hand in his, never taking his attention off of the road.

I wondered again, absentmindedly, why he'd chosen to drive. He'd said that it was fast, but I'd argued that running would be faster. He'd said that is would be more inconspicuous, and, of course, I had no argument for that. Still, it seemed odd. That had never stopped him before.

"Soon," he promised, nodding his head a little. I leaned my head against his shoulder.

"Oh!" I exclaimed, suddenly remembering that he was, in fact, driving a vehicle. "Sorry, force of habit."

"You know, Bella, I _am_ a vampire." As if I needed to be reminded of that. "We can focus on more than one thing at once. So, believe it or not, you weren't distracting me from anything too important." I giggled for the first time in what seemed like ages.

"True that."

"Alice thinks that he'll be back in the clearing in about an hour now. At least, that's what he's planning right now. I don't know why he'd come back. Not while all of us are just standing around here waiting for him. It's too bad I can't read his mind."

"What do you mean you can't read his mind?" I lifted my head from his shoulder and removed my fingers from his.

"He seems to have some sort of shield around his mind. Just like you, Bella. You and him are the only ones I can't read like an open book. It's even more frustrating with him than it is with you. At least if I knew what he was thinking, I could anticipate his moves before he made them," he stated.

"And where was I when you made this revelation?" I demanded.

He looked at me, incredulous. "I'm-I'm sorry, Bella. I didn't think you'd care that much."

"This was while I was out cold, wasn't it?" I asked, irked.

"Yes. But I assure you, if I had known that it meant this much to you, I would have informed you of- BELLA!" he suddenly screamed.

I stared at him in wonder, and then looked at the spot on the road that he was staring at, open-mouthed in horror. The spot was getting closer and closer. The spot was Mike.

**A/N: Sort of a cliffy, wouldn't you say? Haha. So review. And I promise I will try to make the next chapter longer and earlier. Thank you, thank you,**

**C.J.**


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